The Jones Family

Halloween and Kasey's Birthday

2011-12-01T21:05:00.000-08:00

This is a bit out of order - but we'll start with Halloween. I thought of it would be fun to make Kasey a Bam-Bam costume, but then I realized he probably wouldn't wear it unless it was his idea. However, his baseball shirt is his favorite of all shirts, so I had no doubt that he would wear this costume. He was so excited to be a baseball player! The shoes he is wearing in this picture have now officially become his "baseball shoes."

Here's Kasey with his cousins, McKayle and Braiden.

Kris is attempting to carve his pumpkin...with a saw. I guess the little carving knives just weren't cuttin' it. (Haha, get it?)

Here's Uncle Tyler spraying Kasey with silly spray - right in the face. What an action shot!

Helping dad carve his pumpkin.

A whole family of baseball players.

Kris' finished pumpkin. Be warned, this part gets a little gruesome. Yes, his pumpkin is a cannibal pumpkin, and here is the poor little pumpkin who fell victim. I'm hoping that this horrific idea was merely prompted by his recent reading of Hannibal.

Dad and Kasey, checking out the Halloween loot. We only made it to a few houses, but Kasey had a good time and made it home with quite the pile in his pumpkin bucket.

Now, back to Kasey's birthday. I still can't believe he just turned 2! It's crazy how time flies. On Kasey's birthday, we told him "It's your birthday today!" He knew exactly what that meant, and he immediately asked for the fire engine that dad had promised to give him on his birthday (he had seen it in dad's closet). Then he started talking about how we were going to go to "Old McDonald" for dinner. :) We made waffles for breakfast and went to the Pumpkin Patch where he could choose a pumpkin. We saw some animals there, and after learning their names, Kasey decided to talk to them: "Hello donkey!" and, "Hi llama! Watcha doing?" Then, we met dad at "Old McDonald's" and at home he opened 5 presents from the dollar store (we wanted to save his bigger presents for his party). To be truthful, though, he loved his cheap $1 presents! We had to play with each one after he unwrapped it, and he felt so special getting new toys. It doesn't take much to please a toddler! We had a good day together.

Here he is, devouring a cupcake at his birthday party.

Opening presents with Aunt Leisa and Cousin McKayle.

This picture may not seem that significant, so let me explain. If you look closely his whole face is lit up - this is the moment when his dad is bringing out his new tricycle! (We have grandma and grandpa to thank for that.)

The tricycle, in all its glory.

Going for a ride.

It even has a compartment to put his new dinosaurs! (Sidenote for parents: If you are looking for a tricyle, this tricycle is so well designed. It has feet rests if your kid's feet can't reach the pedals. You can push and steer for longer walks. There is a seatbelt to strap your kid in for safety, plus a zippered backpack and buckets. Kasey has loved it!)

Kasey's new firetruck! Some of Kris' old family neighbors gave this to us when their kid outgrew it! It was so generous and so timely of them - Kasey LOVES firetrucks. At first, he didn't know exactly what a fire-fighter did; he just knew that fire engines go fast! We're trying to explain, though. The other day, he did said, "I'm a fire fighter. I help the people!" Then later he said, "So they don't get fire on their clothes."

Blowing out the candles.

Mmmm! Cake with chocolate frosting!

Ready for our walk! (I think we won't be needing the stroller much any more!)

Kasey in his firetruck - I love this picture, especially how the fall leaves make a nice frame. We are so lucky to have a backyard, however small it may be!

Kasey at the aviary, all bundled up.

Reading books with dad. Molly wanted to hear the story, too.

Kasey spread out his blanket in front of the heater (our new favorite spot in the house, now that it's winter and our house is "like a cheese-grater" according to Kris). Then, of course, Molly came and plopped down right on his blanket! Kasey wanted Molly to move, but then I told him that Molly's just like a big pillow. He snuggled right up after that.

Kasey trying on dad's cowboy boots. This is an older picture, but I wanted to include it on the blog anyway. This was back from Kris' work party with Ivory homes. As you can see, the theme was Western. They gave us free passes to go to Heritage Park that day. Ironically enough, Kris had to work, but Kasey and I enjoyed the park!

I thought I would end with a few (okay quite a few - I have a lot of catching up to do!) of the fun things Kasey has said or done lately:

Kasey's grandpa came home from working, and he said to Kasey, "I'm dirty, huh?" Kasey replied, "You sure am!"
I asked him if he wanted some eggs, and he answered politely, "Sure, I'll have a few eggs." He sounds so grown up sometimes!
He put his banana in a bowl and said, "The banana's in timeout. It's in trouble!"
He never sits still unless he's sleeping. He always has to be doing something. One of his favorite things is to run in circles. :)
He's still learning how to communicate what he wants. Combined with his stubborn and independence streak, he's had some tantrum moments. For example, he has to open the door to the car, climb in by himself, buckle himself, get out by himself, close the door to the car, and open the door to the house, and sometimes go in the door before mom does. If all this doesn't go according to his plan, there's a tantrum. :) We're both learning a lot! We've been working through it, though.
One morning, we heard him singing songs in his bed at the top of his lungs – Mary Had a Little Lamb, Eensey Weensy Spider, etc. Kris finally rolled out of bed to go get him, and he wasn’t in his bed – he had dragged his blanket and was on the couch, looking out the window singing by himself! He loves to sing!
Kasey likes to boss us around: "Mom, sit down right there!" "Mom drink your juice!"
One day, Kris said, “Kasey, put that banana peel in the trash and then you can come and watch me cook the eggs.” Kasey responded, “Ok dad I will do that plan!” J
He climbed up on the toy cupboards at Grandma's and said, “Holy Cow! I’m high!”
He also climbed on top of a cooler, and pretending to be on top of the temple said, "I'm Angel Moroni!"
One morning, Kris asked him if he wanted a waffle. He said, “Yeah!” Then he said, “Dad can have a waffle, and mom can have egg!” J Apparently dad gets more privileges.
I believe on that same day as the waffle incident, he told me I was nice mom, twice. Then, he told me that I had a pretty shirt (he saw my purple beads.) Talk about making your mom feel good!
One day he said, “I love you mom!” He hugged me and said, “You’re my best friend!” So sweet! That totally makes up for the tantrums! He told Kris that he was his best friend, too.
I had my hair down, and Kasey said, “Mom, make your hair nice! Put your hair in a ponytail!”
I also thought I would mention that his height and weight are in the 15th percentile, but his head is in the 75th. I thought this was so funny. No wonder we can't get his shirts over his head! :) Big head, little body. :)
His current favorite songs (that he wants to hear over and over and over again) are the Lion King song and Praise to the Man.

As any mom knows, motherhood can be so challenging, but there are so many wonderful, precious moments that make it so worth it! I'm so grateful that I've had a chance to be a mom. I feel like I'm learning and growing so much. Kasey helps me slow down sometimes and recognize all the wonder and joy of living. What a blessing to have him in our home!

Catch-up!

2011-11-17T12:57:00.001-08:00

Be prepared for a whole bunch of pictures! I've found pictures are the easiest way to blog.

So, what have we been up to?

Well, Kasey, for one, has been putting his pants on his head, apparently. :)

We've also been camping/boating at Echo Reservoir. Here is Kasey at our campsite, looking mischievous.

Molly, snuggled up in the cold.

Kasey, also snuggled up in the cold.

Mom and Kasey.

We had a great trip, making yummy camp food (cobbler, dough boys, s'mores, tinfoil dinners, etc.), boating and wakeboarding, and enjoying the lakeside view (as well as the riotous company of our camper/trailer neighbors - we won't call them rednecks :)). The only bummer was that Kris had to work one of the days while we were there, but we survived without him - barely!

Kris' work had a contest for the best pic of an Ivory home, so Kris talked me into turning Kasey into our little poster child. Here he is saying, "Step into my office; let me tell you what Ivory has to offer."

"New. Cool. Ivory."

Here's Kasey enjoying a bit of bribery. I kept trying to get him to say "New Cool Ivory" on camera with his glasses on. Talk about difficult! Kasey has somewhat of a stubborn, independent nature (as does his mom), and he did not want to keep his glasses on! So, I offered him a sucker, which still didn't help. At one point, he took the sucker and ran off with it! Then, he finally said "New Cool Ivory" right after bursting into tears. Sigh. What an awful mom I am! It is a funny bunch of scenes to watch on camera, though, and all's well that ends well. I mean, doesn't Kasey look happy now?

Who says that high heels are just for girls?

Temple Square Visit! We are so lucky to be minutes away from the Salt Lake City temple.

Dad and Kasey near the temple doors.

Beautiful, isn't it?

By the way, if you ever venture to the SL temple grounds, there is an impressive presentation on the family in the North Visitor's Center. We highly recommend it!

If Kasey could choose what he wore everyday, this would be it: Hat, swimwear, snowboots. :)

We took a family boating trip to Jordanelle and stayed in our friends' condo. We had the best little get-away, even if it was for just one night. We also learned that there was an Earth Festival just across the lake. Here Kasey is meeting a bird.

Kasey's new hat.

Fishing with dad.

We were impressed with the festival: it was both fun and educational.

One of Kasey's new favorite activities: covering Molly with blankets. He will spend a full 10 minutes situating the blanket (s) just right, all while Molly lays still. :) Then he snuggles up.

Molly does cause me grief and trouble from time to time (ok, daily); however, this right here is the best reason to keep her around. ;)

Wheeler Farm Visit: Kasey with his friend Persy. Wheeler Farm is an authentic farm with ducks, pigs, goats, horses, cows, chickens, bunnies, tractors, haybales, etc. Complete with a wagon ride, it is a blast for kids.

Testing out the tractor.

Wagonride time- two cute toddler grins! (Why the bandaid? One of Kasey's many. This time, he will tell you, he "fell down the boat ramp.")

I don't know why sleeping children are so precious. Perhaps it's because this is the only time all day that we see them so still and calm. :) (And the only time moms really get anything done! :) )

We tried potty training. Kasey had told me several times that he needed to poop on the potty, and then went on the potty right afterwards! I thought I would see if he was ready to be potty trained. So, we tried for 2 days, and then promptly decided to wait until Kasey is older. :) He was so excited about wearing big boy underwear with Pooh Bear, watching potty movies, and reading potty books, but when it came time to sitting on the potty for a length of time, he wasn't up for it.

Big boy undies!

For some reason, this picture just makes me laugh. Don't ask me why he has a beanie and jacket but no pants. :)

Kasey and dad, looking out the window.

One of Kasey's favorite perches.

We went on a beautiful fall hike up Big Cottonwood Canyon. We passed Silver Lake, and hiked up to Twin Lakes. It was gorgeous! Poor Kasey was sick that day, but still he was as happy as can be to be hiking outside!

Silver Lake

At the Trailhead.

Looking down on Silver Lake.

One of the Twin Lakes. Kris decided to be extra adventurous and forge ahead past the lake and up to the saddle between the two mountains.

From here, he could see both lakes, hence the name. While Kris climbed, Kasey and I stayed and threw rocks into the water. :)

I love fall hiking.

Next blog: Kasey's B-day and Halloween!

Locks of Love

2011-11-10T16:16:00.000-08:00

13 inches, 2 ponytails, 1 happy little girl - I hope!

Before:

I think Kasey has his mom's hair. :)

After:

Kris wants to show everyone that he can grow hair, too! Below is his hair from when he had a mullet (from ONE of the times he had a mullet, I should say).

I'm really hoping that our girls get my hair. :) (Don't feel bad, Kris. Your mullet was very nice.)

So, do I like short hair? (I know you are dying to know). The answer: Yes, it's been a fun change, especially considering that I have never had my hair this short! There are things I miss about long hair, such a braids and ponytails, but I definitely love how much time I save now (not to mention shampoo!).

Last Summer Update - I hope!

2011-10-07T15:28:00.001-07:00

HERITAGE PARK:

This was such a fun learning place for kids. There is a reconstructed pioneer village, , complete with people dressed in the style of the times. You can go from building to building, learning pioneer games; how to wash pioneer clothes; how to punch leather; make Indian crafts and visit teepees; visit the post office, barber shop, general store, etc. There was also a little petting zoo, pony rides, train ride, and panning for gold. Kasey had the best time! Here's a few pics:

Kasey at the end of the day. For some reason, he decided to lay down on this bridge and take a little breather. :)

There was also a playground with miniature houses for kids to play in. Fun!

Kasey with the sheep and goats.

Kasey on his first pony ride!

HURRICANE:

Heather came to visit us for a week, and we had the best time! I don't have too many pictures of that week, so if you're curious, check out her blog. She's much better at picture taking. In the picture below, Kasey and I decided to take a little hike up my backyard. We used to always hike to these lava rocks and play as kids. (I know, right? Imagine having a mountain in your backyard growing up! Lucky!) Here's Kasey at the top of the little hill overlooking Hurricane.

The view. I love the semi-rural life that I grew up with! We've enjoyed our time living in downtown Salt Lake, but there's nothing like space and clean air!

This is kind-of a random, funny picture. Kasey was supposed to be going to sleep. Apparently, he had a little fun with stickers before tuckering out. Check out his arm. :)

LAGOON:

While my sister Heather was in town, we headed up to SLC for a family reunion. For part of that reunion, we went to Lagoon. Here's Kasey with Grandpa on the train.

Kris and Kasey on the carousal.

Kasey didn't have too much fun on this ride, but at least he didn't lose his granola bar.

Kris decided to take Kasey on Kris' favorite roller coaster ride when he was ten. I believe Kasey's thoughts are something like this: "I don't know about this mom. There's a guy with a crazy mullet buckling us in."

This may be hard to see, but Kasey is crying in this picture. Kris is trying to console him or he's laughing, or both. I think Kris and I both realized that although Kasey seems older, he's not even 2, and he's probably not ready for roller coasters... yet. :)

Afterwards: Stunned and completely shaken. He could not believe that his own father would expose him to such horror.

That's more like it - a calm boat ride.

Kasey's favorite ride - the cars.

Kasey told me he was trying on Uncle Jake's wakeboard (really it's a snowboard). If you ask him, Kasey will tell you that he wants to wakeboard someday. (Someday far in the future, right Kris?)

Check out Kasey's face while watching Bambi. It is pure delight. :) For some reason, I thought this was especially funny. Although, usually at Grandma's house, he's watching the tractor movie. He'll be spellbound for a full 20 minutes watching that show.

With the siblings in good ole Hurricane.

Another random couple of pictures. This picture is a warning to all mothers: Do not leave your child alone with the peanut butter jar.

Hurray! I love peanut butter!

Dog pile! So glad I'm the one taking the picture. :)

Bees game. Kasey is wearing one of his favorite shirts, his baseball shirt. (He'd probably wear it everyday if I let him. That and his swimsuit and spandex swim shirt.)

Chillin and watching the Days of 47 parade. Aunt Leisa bought him some killer shoes!

With dad watching the parade.

Kasey's first sparkler. "Uh, mom, now what do I do with it?"

Thus ends our summer fun....unless I find more summer pictures on the camera. :) It's likely.

Summer Fun: Red Butte Garden

2011-10-06T13:56:00.000-07:00

The Red Butte Gardens (not to be confused with the Red Butt Gardens). These beautiful gardens are located up by the U of U, and we enjoyed an evening up there together. Here are a few pictures:

Kasey touching the fountain.

Nothing says summer fun like a good roll down a grassy hill.

Kasey inside a tree-enclosed hideout.

Kris decided to join him.

Huge lizards -fun!

Kris and Kasey coming out of the snake's mouth!

Kris and Kasey bravely crawling under the rattlesnakes, barely missing their shooting water venom.

Walking through the gardens.

Kasey and mom.

Gorgeous Flowers!

Picturesque Settings!

Quaint Bubbly Streams!

Creative Flower Arrangements! (I'm starting to sound like a brochure now.) But really, it was so fun to see the creativity in the children's garden.

A flower bed - get it? :)

Can you see the paint brush and painter's palate? (Is that what they call it?)

A fun place to visit if you are ever in the area. Kasey loved it. :)

Summer Fun: Lake Powell

2011-10-06T13:12:00.001-07:00

It's so ironic that I am still blogging about summer when everything about today hints of the impending winter:

It is overcast and rainy.
We turned our heater on for the first time this season, but I am still wearing 2 jackets and slippers.
My knuckles are starting to crack and bleed.
Our butter is solid.
Kasey went outside in just his socks and came back crying because his feet were cold and wet.
I'm currently enjoying my second cup of hot cocoa.

There is one part of me that loves the anticipation and excitement of changing seasons. The other part of me still longs for the warmth of the sun. These pictures should bring us out of the winter gloom. There are few places as delightfully warm and sunny as Lake Powell in July:

(Yes, I know. I just wrote July. Am I really that far beh

ind? Yup! Get used to it!)

Kasey enjoying being on Grandpa's boat! (Lucky for him, he has TWO grandpas with boats!)

Kasey's first tube ride. He was enjoying it so much that he started singing "Old McDonald"...but then tragically as we were turning the tube submarined and swept us off into the lake. Luckily enough, mom was able to keep Kasey's head out of water, but that doesn't mean he wasn't wet, scared, and crying. No long term damage done, however. After a few m

ore minutes of riding, he was back to singing "Old McDonald." :)

Climbing with dad. Kasey couldn't be happier.

Kris and Kasey, and my cute lil' sis Jenny climbing up the beautiful red rock.

Kasey with Uncle Brian.

Kasey and dad, making their way down to the lake.

Playing in the sand. Kasey's in heaven.

We are so blessed to be able to go to Lake Powell so often! Sun, swimming, hiking, wakeboarding, relaxing, eating, eating some more, and being with Kris' family and friends. There's no better vacation! We did have a few boat troubles, however, but that just meant that my younger brother and sis could join us with my family's boat! Overall we h

ad a great week!

Although this looks similar to Lake Powell, this is a hike we took in Colorado Springs with my family while down in Hurricane. Heather and Javan came to visit, and we had the best time! We hadn't seen them since Christmas, and we miss them clear out there in Virginia! Sadly, our camera broke, so you'll have to check out their blog for more pics.

My cousins Sierra and Annie also came to visit while Heather was here, with their cute little boys Ryder and Caige. All three taking a bath together!

The four cousins: Heather, Annie, Sierra, and Me!

We had the best time together. It's been so long since all the cousins were together. Heather and Javan - thanks so much for making the trip to see us! We love you!

Considering the large amount of pics I have for this second summer update, I'm going to create several posts. Next Post: Red Butte Garden.

Summer Fun Part 1

2011-08-23T12:30:00.000-07:00

We've had such a busy and wonderful summer! Lake Powell trips, family visits, camping, hiking, Lagoon, and outdoor sunny summer fun. Kris has been working hard with Ivory Homes, and Kasey and I have been playing hard with summer adventures. :) Okay, we do work sometimes, too. Kasey did sing the other day, "Old McDonald had a scrub brush." See, there's proof!

Kasey is becoming quite independent these days. He uses the "NO" word frequently, and he wants to do everything by himself. He's testing mom, especially at bedtime, when he decides he doesn't want to stay in his bed. But he is loads of fun, and he keeps us laughing all the time. We were driving by some stinky cows one time, and my sister asked him, "Kasey, what do cows smell like?" His reply? "Smell like poop!" :) He loves to sing, and frequently will burst into song. When we went on his grandpa's boat, it was "Row, Row, Row Your Boat." When my sister remarked on the sunny weather, Kasey sang, "Jesus Wants Me for a Sunbeam." When I point out the stars, you guessed it, "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star." We were about to pray one night, and he knelt down and sang the whole first verse of "I Pray in Faith." I was so touched. It was almost like I was hearing those words for the first time. I know that Kasey doesn't understand everything he sings, but at least those words are in his mind, that God does hear and answer prayers! Maybe something is getting through to Kasey! You have to wonder after seeing our attempts at family prayer and family night. Kasey loves to help sweep, vacuum, dishes, etc. I really hope he never grows out of this stage! :) He is all boy, and he loves dirt, rocks, big sticks, and being outside. Combine these favorite things with digging, dumping, throwing, jumping, wrestling, and running, and you'll know how Kasey spends much of his time.

There's so much to tell, so, as you can see, I'll divide the pictures into several posts. Starting with more recent events:

CHALK ART FESTIVAL at the Gateway. I'm not sure how much Kasey enjoyed the chalk art, but he sure loved his snow cone, balloon, and listening to a children's choir that was performing there. (Ugh! Sorry I thought I turned all the sideways pics! Your neck will have to get some exercise.)

I ran into my college roommates Tawni and Kristina while I was there. I hope they don't mind me posting this, but this is their masterpiece! I was so impressed! Darling, isn't it?

WASATCH CAMPING TRIP: These next pictures are a little out of order. I seriously need to work on my blogging skills. We went camping at the Wasatch campground in the Heber/Midway area (I think!). We had the best time. On our way home, Kris decided we needed to take the adventurous way home - over the mountain. I was worried that Little Blue would make it, but like the Little Blue Engine, she kept on puffing to the top! We found, to our surprise, snow in June, and lots of it!

This is the view from the top of the mountain. After going up over the mountain, we ended up driving back through Park City - what an adventure!

We hiked the most beautiful trail up to Crow's Nest, I believe is the name. I loved all the wildflowers!

Isn't this gorgeous?

Here's the meadow where we stopped for snacks.

More wildflowers!

View of valley below.

Kasey is showing his messy hands from s'mores.

Yum!

Kasey didn't quite understand that you have to roast hot dogs on the fire first before you eat them.

Kasey zonked out on our hike. Even in sleep, he would not let go of his stick!

Kasey riding on dad's shoulders.

Kasey found a catepiller. We watched it eat a leaf.

Kasey switched his hat with his dad's. I guess he decided it would be a better fit.

Kasey drinking his juice, one of his favorite things in the whole wide world.

Kasey must have really liked the bacon because he was grabbing it by the fistfuls.

It was a bit chilly in the morning, so mom snuggled Kasey right up!

CORNER CANYON HIKE: Beautiful views of Draper temple.

Kasey zonked out again. :)

For some reason Kasey decided to sit down in the middle of the trail and throw rocks. He can't get enough dirt and rocks in his life! He is in heaven in a sandbox.

Last but not least, a token picture from our Lake Powell trip in May. May? Was it really that long ago? Am I really that far behind? Sheesh! This summer has flown by.

Sadly enough, I think this posting only goes until June. Part 2 will be forthcoming soon....

I did it! I updated our blog!

2011-05-26T21:00:00.001-07:00

It wasn't too hard, really. I just had to wait until the house was silent and I had eaten a half package of girl scout cookies to keep me awake. (Yes, I know - we still have girl scout cookies left! I just made this delightful discovery tonight as I was hungrily searching through the pantry! It was only because they were hiding behind the wheat thins that they were spared so long - dang wheat things.)

Truth be told, though, I was partially inspired by an article I read: Internet Culture: Why I can't stop reading Mormon housewife blogs

www.salon.com. From the article, I learned that you have to update your blog regularly in order to be a worthy and faithful Mormon mom, or something like that. :) Although this blog may not be filled with juicy details on child-raising, home-decorating, and/or baking, as per the usual Mormon mom blog, I will give you an update on the Jones' family happenings.

Kris just graduated from the U of U with his MBA, and he is now working for Ivory Homes as a sales/marketing coordinator. Thus far he has enjoyed his job, and Tiffany has enjoyed looking at the beautiful model homes. (Sorry for the pause - had to go get another girl scout cookie.) Where were we...oh, Tiffany now dreams frequently about owning a home, with a dishwasher (more about that later). We feel so blessed that Kris is working with Ivory Homes. It will be great experience for him, and he loves homes. Win-win.

I can no longer call Kasey my little baby. It's true. Yesterday he came in from playing outside and he smelled just like a little boy - you-know, that dirty outside smell that just clings to little boys. I was both proud and sorrowful - he's growing up!

Kasey is talking more and more all the time. He can sing the entire ABC song and Twinkle Twinkle Little Star (both of which he often sings as he's falling asleep - super sweet!). He can recognize the letters c, y, s, and o, and counts, "1,2,3,8,9!" (Emphasis on the 9 - he gets really excited about that number!). He can recognize the colors orange, yellow, green, pink, and black. He is always surprising me with what he says and notices. He is now in nursery at church, and he loves it. One weekday morning he woke up wanting to go! One of his most recent sayings is "Be fun!" I'll say, "Kasey, we're going to go play with some friends today" and Kasey will say, "Be fun!" or I'll say, "Kasey, let's make some waffles," and sure enough, "Be fun!" (This probably comes from my frequently saying, "It's going to be fun!"). When he doesn't see me he'll raise his voice and say, "Mommy! Where are you?" He'll say to our dog, "Molly, come!" or "Leave it" (A command we use frequently.). He's even starting to say, "I love you" back to us. It melts my heart. It is so amazing to be able to communicate with Kasey! We have so much fun.

Kasey lives to be outside, and his favorite activity, by far, is playing in sand or dirt. He'd play all day, if I'd let him, and it's hard to coax him in for even a snack! He also loves tractors and buses and airplanes and motorcycles - basically anything that goes. He's always pointing these things out when we are on the road. I guess it makes sense that his favorite book is the "truck" book. That book has taught him some amazing things, like how to recognize a backhoe, pickup truck, and snowplow. Those are very important words to know.

Let's have some pictures, shall we?

Kasey and Dad, enjoying a beautiful Snow Canyon Hike.

Ahhh- the beautiful red rock of Southern Utah.

Dad making Kasey giggle by tickling his legs. Sorry Kasey, you are trapped!

Kasey loving Molly. (I guess this means we can keep her.)

Check out all my teeth! Oh, yeah, and the delicious pudding on my face! (Sidenote to fellow moms: Finger painting with pudding is lots of fun, although be warned - also super tasty!)

Kasey playing the awake/asleep game with Aunt Jenny.

My family came for Easter weekend, and we had the best time! Here's my siblings Jen and Jon on top of the conference center.

Kennecott Mine: My goofy brother, mom, and Jen.

Jen and Jon, eating at Blue Iguana - yum!

Conference Center Waterfall.

Beautiful Sunset on top of the conference center!

Back at copper mine (sorry-out of order).

Easter Egg Hunt!

Yum, candy drooling from my chin. So good.

Kasey and dad doing dishes. Although, just for the record, usually it's Kasey and mom. Just so everyone knows. :) Ok, I guess Kris helps a lot too. Why the plastic bag on Kasey, you ask? One of Kasey's great skills is "dumping" although some times all of the water doesn't make it into the sink or cup. Hence, the plastic.

(Another sidenote: For some reason lately, I can not keep up on our dishes! I barely catch up, and then all the sudden I cook another meal, and bam! The sink is full again. Another meal, and bam! The dishes are flowing forth to the counter, the stovetop, even the table. I cannot keep this madness in check. I've come up with a few options: 1. Never cook or eat again. 2. Paper plates! 3. Dishwasher! I'll add it to the luxury list.)

Kasey zonked out after a walk. Ah, the life.

Is this what a potty is for, mommy? (Maybe he's not quite ready. :)

Kris, you gratutated! You are so smrt! (Joking aside - way to go hon! You work so hard for our family!)

Kasey wanted to wear one of dad's ties to church.

Kasey watching the "tractor movie" at Grandma Nommy's house. "Road Construction Ahead" is king, in Kasey's eyes.

Fireman hat!

I gave Kasey some pre-dinner noodles to snack on, and he found a nice spot to dine, with a view.

Hurray for Lake Powell! Kasey found this flotation device in the packing pile, and he had to try it on, of course!

Same thing happened with his lifevest. Surprisingly, he played in this for a long time! Last summer he hated it. I have a feeling that this upcoming Lake Powell trip is going to be grand, especially because it will involve one of Kasey's favorite pastimes - sand! (Haha - I rhymed and I didn't even mean it. Anybody want a peanut?)

Kasey's Room

2011-02-17T19:44:00.000-08:00

Two whole people requested that I post pictures of Kasey's room! Wow! Someone does read this blog! I was about to give up. :) But then I realized, (1) Aunt Heather needs to see pictures of Kasey, and (2) Our blog acts as a family journal. This blog IS important! So, here are a few pictures of Kasey's newly decorated room. Now, this may not look like anything too fancy, but coming from a non-crafty girl, I feel quite proud!

It all started when my mother-in-law so kindly made Kasey a shelf for his room (see below). Then, my awesome husband made this bookshelf. Kris designed it and we painted it a bright white and ta-da, you see the effect below. Thanks to Grandmas, Kasey has tons of books! (Sidenote: See the little brown rocking chair? My lil' brother made that for Kasey for his first Christmas! Kasey loves it!)

One thing led to the next (as is always the case when you start decorating), and pretty soon I realized that I needed something to put on the shelf! So, I went to Michael's and found some wooden cars/trucks (only a dollar a piece!) and I painted them.

Then, Susanne (my wonderful mother-in-law) let me go to craft class in her place. Kasey's name was the result.

And, of course, I found this plane and truck at Michael's (only two dollars a piece!), and I painted them, too.

Kasey helped. :)

Well, craft class came around again, and there was another opening. I came home with all sorts of treasures!

First, this sign: our creative invention. I had the idea for the sign with the boat and airplane, but then I found this little train on sale at Robert's, and Susanne had the idea to let it hang from the sign! We were so proud of ourselves! Like I said, I'm not the crafty type.

Then, Susanne said we had to have a magnet board. And, lucky us, Robert's had little wooden animals on sale for 40-70 cents each! We super-glued magnets to the back of each animal, and created not only a piece of fine decor but an enjoyable play center for Kasey!

Alas, after all our creativity, this side of the room is a bit lacking. However, I do have plans for the rather dull looking toy box. Eventually I'd like to paint it white and then glue on colorful wooden letters that say "Toy Chest." (Although, check out that rocking chair - it came from a consignment shop, and when we first brought it home it looked like it had been through fire! Nothing that a good-sanding and paint job couldn't fix! I am realizing, though, all of the furniture in Kasey's room is second-hand! Poor kid! Poor parents is more like it - haha!)

I had so much fun decorating Kasey's room! It was so fulfilling, and luckily enough, we were able to do it super cheap (well, with the help of my mother-in-law, of course!).

Kasey loves his new room. And, to our surprise and horror (and secret delight), Kasey learned rather quickly how to climb up his bookshelf. Here's Kasey, feeling so proud of his accomplishments.

We had thought that Kasey wouldn't be able to climb this new bookshelf. We forgot to take into consideration the fact that his little rocking chair acts as a step stool. I guess we'll have to find a new place for the rocking chair!

Hmmm! Which book should I read next! (I'm sorry. I'm sure this picture isn't completely blog appropriate, but funny just the same. :)

Christmas, Anniversary, and More!

2011-02-07T19:59:00.000-08:00

If that title doesn't capture your attention, I don't know what will. Sarcasm. :) Really, I should start labeling my blog entries by season instead of by month. It's been awhile, but at least you know we are still here! Before I dive right into the pictures, here's a brief update: Kris is on his last semester of grad school! Hurray! The job search has begun. Tiffany is still at home and loving being a mom. Her most recent project has been decorating Kasey's room! (Julie, you'd be so proud - it's themed and everything!) Kasey is busy, busy, busy! He is learning so many words and talking like a champ. Some of his most recent words are "Molly" "berries" "dishes" "pooh bear" "cookie" and "attic" (He loves our attic!). Congrats Kasey - you've moved from one syllable words to two! Your future looks promising. :) Oh, and as always, he LOVES his grandpas. "Papa, papa!" is all we here from the backseat whenever we are going to visit grandpa.

Here are a few of our adventures in pictures:

Our 5th year anniversary was in December. As we all know, December is a crazy time, so we chose January to celebrate. We dropped Kasey off at his cousins' house, and we headed off for a winter adventure! We decided to try snow-shoeing for the first time. We picked a trail in Ogden canyon, and we were off!

We had the best time. Snow-shoeing is much like hiking, and we love being outdoors! Part of the trail was precariously close to the river, as pictured below. It's thrilling when you know you could slip into icy waters at any wrong step! The scenery was majestic as well.

We stayed the night in a charming little cabin at the Alaskan Inn. We got a group-on deal that we just couldn't pass up! The place had the perfect ambiance - soothing music played as we entered, chilled sparkling cider awaited, and the Alaskan decor combined to give the place a cozy, romantic feel.

We had the best time on a much-needed get-away!

A few other random pics (sorry, these are so not in order). Lately, Kasey loves to lay down next to Molly and snuggle up! Molly will put her paw on Kasey like she's hugging him. :)

"Please can we go outside now?"

When I went to check on Kasey during a nap, I found this. If you look closely, you can see Kasey's hand under the the pad (he's in his pack n' play at Grandma's, so no mattress, just a pad).

I laughed and laughed! Somehow he had wiggled himself under the pad and gone to sleep! I lifted up the pad and found him - zonked!

Kasey wearing Molly's leash. He must be ready for a walk! Another time Kasey grabbed Molly's leash and started walking her around the house. The funny thing is, Molly followed! (Sorry - sidewise - I'm really bad at this blog thing!)

Yeah for balls in playpens! A kid's dream.

Okay - here we are to Christmas. Kasey and dad, testing out Kasey's first remote control.

Kasey's new PJ's (See the little bear on his bum? Below are the words, "Bear Bottom.")

Dad modeling Kasey's new PJ's.

Kasey and dad in twiner Christmas attire.

When we visited my family, we decided to go skiing/snowboarding together. Poor Kasey had an earache, so Grandma opted to tend at the lodge. Here they are napping together!

At Tiffany's house - everyone showing off our brother/sister gifts! See my sweet new shoes from my brother Jake? He's awesome! I sure miss him. He left for his mission right after Christmas. He is currently in the MTC, but soon he'll be leaving for Budapest, Hungary. He is working so hard and doing so well! His faith and testimony uplift us in every letter! We love you Jake!

Back to the skiing trip (sorry, out of order): Kasey having a good time with Uncle Javan!

Playing in the snow with dad.

Wow, these really are out of order! Back to ski trip. :) Kasey, don't get too comfortable in those ski boots! Mom and dad are snowboarders!

With Grandpa Ted, sitting on the old tractor. (I'm not kidding when I say old - this belonged to my Grandpa Payne! We used to go on rides when we were kids.)

Kasey loves to hide behind the Christmas tree.

What better present than a popsicle.

With Grandpa Randy on Christmas.

Kasey loved opening the presents more than the presents themselves. After he opened a present, he hardly paused to check out his new toy; he was on to the next present to unwrap. We had such a wonderful Christmas holiday with both families. Thank you everyone for spoiling us and our son!

Christmas Letter 2010

2011-01-01T15:13:00.001-08:00

As usual, our "Christmas Letter" turns into a "Happy New Year" letter! We wish we could send out formal letters, but we are seeking to simplify our Christmas this year. Hurray for technology! J

We have had a wonderful but busy year. Kris has been studying hard as a full-time MBA student at the University of Utah. He works part-time for USTAR, a government organization which assists start-up businesses. He is also involved with student organizations, and he fills the remaining hours with church callings and family time. He seldom has time for himself, although he did buy a Nintendo game the other day. He hasn't played it yet, but he did buy it! J We are so grateful for all he does for our family!

Tiffany is blessed to stay at home, managing the house and taking care of Kasey. She loves being a mom. She keeps busy with her sewing and scrapbook projects, book club, and neighborhood playgroup.

Kasey has grown up so much this year! At 14 months he is a full-time toddler and boy, constantly busy! He loves to get into everything. His favorite pastimes are taking lids on and off Tupperware, playing outside (he LOVES dirt and snow), reading books, getting into the dog food, and running around destroying everything he can. J His latest accomplishment was climbing up and sliding down the big kid slide at the playground – all by himself! Lately he has been learning new words all the time, including the dreaded " No, no!" One of his favorite words is, "uh, oh!" which he often preemptively declares before he drops his food off his tray. He brings so much happiness to our home, and we are so grateful for our son!

In other family news, Tif is seeking to make peace with her arch-enemy, Molly, the dog. J We have struck an agreement to co-exist for the benefit of all other family members, namely Kris, Kasey, and future posterity. Molly has grown to be quite the hefty bulldog. Despite her brute strength, she is gentle with Kasey and will tolerate all the tail-grabbing and eye-poking that Kasey gives her. She is also fairly obedient for her age as well as friendly and people-loving. She is turning into a good dog and member of our family. (By "good dog" Tif means she has hopes that someday she will view Molly in those terms. J She is still a puppy, after all.)

We have also filled our year with fun family adventures. We were spoiled by numerous trips to Lake Powell – both of our families are frequent Lake Powell visitors. We also filled the summer with a few hiking and camping trips. Kasey and Mom visited Aunt Heather and Uncle Javan in Virginia – Kasey's first flight!

We wanted to express our appreciation for all of you – our family and friends who are so supportive of us and add so much joy to our lives. We are so blessed! We wish you the best, and we are so grateful for your friendship.

With love,

The Jones Family

PS Christmas pictures coming soon!

Kasey and Athan

2010-12-08T12:02:00.000-08:00

I forgot to include these pictures in the November update! Kasey and I went to visit my cousin Annie and her two darling boys, Athan and baby Ryder. Kasey and Athan had the funnest time playing together! Thanks Annie for taking such cute pictures! We had the best time!

Athan and Kasey

Pounding on Anne's nice glass table.

Hi there!

Grrr!

November Update

2010-12-06T19:31:00.000-08:00

It's been a busy month, but only a few things are picture worthy. First, Kris' brother Tyler's wedding (did you follow that?) was at the beginning of the month, and Kasey was dressed fit for the occasion (with a fresh new hair cut, too!).

What a little man! (Thanks Janece for awesome pics!)

The family in matching wedding attire.

Yum! Kasey loves chocolate and cookies, of course. I never hear him say the word "more" as clearly as when I give him something extra tasty to eat!

Kasey all ready to play in the snow! (Does the movie A Christmas Story come to mind?)

Yay! Snow! Kasey can barely walk around in the snow, even with his new snow boots. That's okay with him, though. It's just fun to be outside, watching Molly run around and reveling in the new mysterious white fluff.

Help, mom! I've fallen and I can't get up!

Kris only has one more week of school! Hurray! (Well, until next semester starts again. Ugh.) He has been busy to the max lately, and we are so excited for Christmas break so that we can be together more! There is nothing like spending time with family. (Heather and Javan - we can't wait!)

Lake Powell Trip and Other Pics

2010-11-04T20:12:00.001-07:00

Before I share Lake Powell Pics, here are few recent ones of Kasey:

Mmm! Dinner! (He must have really enjoyed this one, what with the food in hair and greasy-looking food mustache.)

One of Kasey's favorite treasures of nature: sticks!

As always, Kasey is ever getting into things. Literally.

Kasey and Molly are becoming best buds. Kasey gives Molly his open-mouthed kisses, and as you can see, Molly hugs him back.
Time to wrestle!
Hmm! The Old Testament manual looks like a good read.
Ready for church!
Here are the Lake Powell pics. This trip, we went a lot of fun places. This is us hiking down "The Crack." There is an incredible hike between two slabs of rock. From a distance, you would never know that you could hike through them!
The view from a top the crack.
Hiking through the crack. Hold on Kasey!
Dad has special skills.
I know this is a bit out of order, but this is the crack we hiked through!
"Get me out of here!"
Driving with dad.
Another one of our adventures was hiking up a beautiful narrow canyon. Here's Kasey with Grandpa.
Kasey with dad.
Check out this wall!
Mom look! I found a rock! (Rocks are akin to the treasured sticks in Kasey's world.)
My little sis Jenny walking through the freezing waters of death! (Check out the beautiful waved sand walls of this slot canyon!)
We are so blessed to be able to go to Lake Powell so much! And this time, we were able to enjoy the trip with both sides of our family! It was one of the best Lake Powell trips I can remember.

Kasey's First Birthday Party!

2010-11-04T19:49:00.001-07:00

Tiffany was so proud of her nicely themed party and homemade decor. She had so much fun putting this party together!

We filled a tonka truck with cupcakes, and Kris decorated Kasey's cake.
Kris made a bona fide construction site, complete with access road and excavation!
Kasey: "Yum! When do we eat cake?"
Kasey and his Uncle Jake sporting their vehicles -they must think alike: both born on Oct. 17 and both a fan of lime-green and speed!
Mmmm! Kasey's first cake and ice cream! (Well, at least in substantial proportions. Dad has been known to give him a small taste from time to time...)
In the spirit of birthdays, Tyler decided to paint chocolate warrior signs on Kasey's chest. Molly was more than happy to help clean Kasey up.
Mom, in a chipper, sing-song voice: "Kasey, what do you think of your new fourwheeler?" Kasey, nonchalantly: "It gets me from A to B."
Testing out his new slide.
"Yeah! A new hat! Just what I wanted!"
Thanks to all who came and supported Kasey! Kasey was spoiled with so many fun presents and nice clothes. We had the best time!

Happy Halloween!

2010-11-01T12:42:00.001-07:00

Here's Kasey with his pumpkin. Mom carved it to look just like Kasey: big bug eyes, two bottom teeth, happy grin, and often, food spilling out the mouth.

Kasey in Halloween heaven. Yeah for suckers! (He would not let go of it!)
You guessed it: Kasey is dressed as a little devil. We spiked up his hair, pinned on a red bow tie and tail, and placed his horns on his head. He carried around a red trident for part of the night (by "carried" I mean tried to stab people with it. Thank goodness it was made of felt!).
The 'Lil devil looking so innocent with dad.
The lil' devil trying to hit mom with his trident.

Donut Falls

2010-10-22T11:33:00.000-07:00

Here is the last of our summer fun posts. But before I tell you about our Donut Falls adventures, let me tell you some exciting news: Kasey is now one year old (as of October 17)! Way to go buddy! Don't worry, we gave him quite the Tonka trucks birthday party, pictures of which will be included in the next blog, once I load them unto our computer.

Back to the Donut Falls Report: This summer we went twice to Donut Falls. The first time, sadly enough, we didn't even find the donut! :) We hiked up to the falls, looked up and didn't see any donut-like openings, and then proceeded to hike to the left of the falls (up quite the steep and precarious rock slide, I might add). After a bit of hiking, we found ourselves gazing down upon the river. Still no donut. Someone had told us that there had been a rock slide, covering the donut fall. Alas, we concluded, it must be true.

We didn't give up, however. We determined to visit the falls again. Soon we found ourselves at the base of the same waterfall. This time, we decided to climb up through the waterfall, instead of to the side. And, you guessed it! We found the donut falls!

Look how the forces of nature have combined to create a stunning replica of a such a delicious and popular pastry. (In other words: Look, the rock is shaped like a donut.)

Kris decided to climb up to get a better look.

Kasey and I took this picture under the falls. If you look close, you can see Kris peeking down at us.

This picture is proof that Kris dunked his head under the frigid flowing waters. He asked me if I wanted to join him. "But who would hold Kasey?" I replied. It was tough, but someone had to make the sacrifice and fore go the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity of drenching one's self under pellets of ice water.

Lake Powell!

2010-10-03T17:01:00.000-07:00

Kris and I are pretty darn lucky: Both our families repeatedly go to Lake Powell each summer, and we get to join them! Thus far, we have been to Lake Powell in May, July, and August, and we are planning a trip in October. Talk about being spoiled! How could you not love the sightseeing-wakeboarding- skiing-tubing-napping-swimming-eating-hiking-cardplaying frenzy that begins as soon as we unpack! Here are a few pics from the May/July Lake Powell trips, although they aren't the best. We don't often take too many pics at Lake Powell because we are usually too busy playing!

One of our favorite Lake Powell activities: hiking!

Randy and Susanne Jones (Kris' parents) at the top of our canyon.

There's me looking at the view.

Randy, decorating the natural, sandstone arch with his face.

The houseboat parked down below.

Kris, the rough and rugged hiker.

Kasey, just chilling with dad. Belly hanging out - now that's the life!

Kasey with Grandma Sanny.

Kasey LOVES playing in the sand/mud.

That's all the even decent pics. However, just for the record, Kasey has now had his first boat, waverunner, and tube ride. If his father has his way, wakeboarding is next! (Mom says "No way!")

Random Summer Fun

2010-10-03T15:49:00.000-07:00

I'm still trying to catch up on our summer! I realize I am months behind, but I thought I would still post a few pics/videos anyway, if nothing else for our family to remember our summer adventures. It's already been a bit since my last post, but not much has changed except for Kasey. He now has 5 teeth, and he is rapidly learning new words. His current vocabulary includes the following: drink, mmmm!, teeth, dog, cat, mom, dad, wow, book ("buh"), bath ("baf"), yeah, light, ball ("ba"), keys, and cheese. He also very clearly understands such phrases as, "Do you want to swing?" or "Should we play in the sandbox?" or "Bring me a book!" His usual response is "Yeah!" followed by a quick waddle over to the mentioned swing, sandbox, or bookcase. He is also quite the prolific kisser. His open-mouthed, slobbery kisses are loved by all. Even Molly is a recipient! My new favorite thing that he does: He'll bring me a book and then sit in my lap! How can I refuse that?

Now, back to our summer fun. Some of these pics are fairly old, but remember, I'm still catching up.

One warm summer night we ventured over to the Gateway mall to show Kasey the water fountains. He was mesmerized!

Kasey loved walking around, watching all the kids play in the water.

In August we went to Lagoon. Here is Kasey with Uncle Jake. The both have the same birthday! (I keep trying to upload a video of Kasey going on the kid's boat ride at Lagoon. Sorry, but you're going to have to use your imagination: Kasey looks miniature compared to the other riders. However, he takes his lone boat ride in style, one hand on the wheel, one arm resting on the door, chill as can be.)

Kasey's first motorcycle ride with Grandpa Randy. Four kids going for a ride - yikes!

Kasey loves playing with the mirror!

Kasey at Grandma and Grandpa Payne's house. What fun toys they have!

These pics are clear back in May/June. When we were at Lake Powell (of all places), Kasey learned to sit up from the laying down position. As soon as I would lay him down, he would sit right up, ready to play! So, he had to re-learn how to put himself to sleep. The result is some pretty unique sleeping positions! You can tell that he got so tired that he just plopped over!

It may be hard to see, but Kasey is sleeping on a pair of brown pants. He was wearing those pants when I put him in his crib! :)

This is his usual favorite sleeping position, feet tucked under and bum up stink-bug style.

And, once in a while, a stray limb seems to sneak right out of the crib.

Kasey playing with his magnet fridge gears! (You can tell this picture is old because he's wearing a jacket! Not quite summer yet.)

Kasey! You have spaghetti on your head!

These pics are clear back in June - Kasey's first ward campout! This is also old - he was just learning to stand, and he actually needed shoes for the first time!

And finally, one video to end. In August, Kasey and I flew to Virginia to see Heather (my sis) and Javan. We had the best time seeing where they live! We went to a delicious Mexican restaurant in the mall, and afterwards, Kasey took a little ride on an escalator. Oh, and I finally got the boat video to post, so here's another one!

Kasey's Slide Adventure

2010-09-20T20:35:00.000-07:00

As promised, I am going to continue posting some of our summer adventures. This is Kasey just a couple of weeks ago. As mentioned before, his new favorite activity is "climbing." In this video, he climbs up a Little Tikes slide and goes down all by himself (with mom's close supervision, of course)!

American Fork Camping Adventure!

2010-09-15T21:15:00.001-07:00

This is our most recent summer adventure. I will try to post pics of other things we've done this summer as I get the time .

Kasey grinning at dad - you can see his first tooth if you look close. The other one was on its way in this pic!

Crazy hair!

Kasey standing in our tent. I know he looks happy here, but Kasey didn't have the best camping trip ever. He had a little cold, and I don't think he felt good for a lot of the trip. Regardless, he still loved playing in the dirt and being outside!

On our way up to see the Timpanogas Caves. It took us three tries to go through the caves! The first two times were during Kasey's naptime, and he was not happy! We risked destroying the tour for others, so we left the caves. But, on the way back down the mountain, he fell asleep. So, what did we do? We raced back up and they let us go back in the caves and finish the tour, all during his nap! Oh, the joys of having children! :) It was all worth it - the caves were beautiful!

Hiking up Timpanogas Mountain (we only went partway).

It was a beautiful weekend, and we had such a nice time enjoying the mountains and hiking, making tinfoil dinners and dutch oven cobbler. It was a short, busy camping trip, but a fun escape to the mountains!

Yes, we are still alive!

2010-09-15T21:09:00.000-07:00

I know, I’m officially “The Worst Blogger on the Block” (haha, get it?). Since it’s been awhile (okay, the whole summer) since I blogged, I decided to give everyone a little update on how we’re all doing. Then, to avoid a heinously long blog post, I’ll post pictures of our summer adventures separately.

Let’s start with Kris: He just started his last year of the MBA program at the U of U. Hurray! He is working so hard for our family and doing so well in school. This year is going to be incredibly busy for him, though. He is currently involved with the Utah Entrepreneurship Challenge and The Entrepreneurship Club, plus an independent study and a field study, plus work part-time for USTAR. PLUS just being a husband, dad, and dog-owner. His plate is definitely full!

Tiffany: She continues to stay at home and manage the dog (Molly) and Kasey. She just attended her first yoga class and loved it, and just joined a bookclub, which was one of her life-long dreams. J Otherwise, she stays busy at home trying to figure out how to use her food storage (dried beans – help!), keep the house clean amidst two master-minds of mess (Molly and Kasey), and keep up on the ever-building pile of laundry. She loves being home with Kasey, especially now that we have a sandbox, swing, and baby pool!

Kasey: He is growing so fast! He is almost 11 months old, and just as curious and active as ever. At 9 months his record was 10 steps, and since then, all he does all day long is walk, and walk, and walk (like the pioneer children J)….For awhile he would pick up one toy, walk with it for some time, drop it, pick up another toy or household item and walk with it, etc. all day long! Now, he takes the occasional pit stop to play. He is getting fast, though. I blink and he’s gone! His most recent achievement was climbing up the ladder of a Little Tikes slide and going down – all by himself! (Well, I did have to sit him down at the top of the slide to prevent him from walking down it.) Recently he has started to imitate everything we do. He has learned to clap, give high fives, turn pages, imitate sounds and words, and “Go Crazy!” (which means shake your head from side to side and say “Ahhhh!”). He also has two bottom teeth. He jives when he listens to music, and he points at things and says “Woooow!” Whenever we mention food or he sees food, he says, “Mmmmm!” His current favorite activities include walking, climbing, swinging, eating/playing with dirt, exploring outside. He is getting more and more fun all the time, and we are so happy to have him in our home!

Molly, the demon/dog: She is growing like a weed. She finished her Obedience Class, and even passed her Obedience and Good Citizen dog test (she had to sit, stay, come, etc.) at 5 months old! Kris keeps reminding me that she is such a good dog. She doesn’t run off like most dogs, minds fairly well for a 5 month old dog, and so far she’s been very friendly, well-mannered, and playful. We now let her in the rest of the house (instead of just the kitchen), and she does really well with Kasey. She licks him to death, but Kasey also grabs and pokes Molly to death (thankfully she tolerates it extremely well!), so they are even. Often I still think we’re crazy for getting a dog, but I’m sure Molly will become a wonderful family addition in time. I call her Master-Mahan-maulster-Molly, but really, it’s just me getting used to having a puppy. Perhaps it’s because she destroyed my favorite flip flops and Kasey’s best sandals, left feces (repeatedly!) in the attic after she was already trained, and has permanently destroyed a section of the grass (pee spots, ew!). I guess I haven’t quite forgiven her yet. J

Summer Adventures: What have we been up to this summer? We’ve taken a couple trips to Lake Powell with both our families (Kasey had his first boat ride, tube-ride and waverunner ride). (For a more detailed account of one of our Lake Powell adventures, see entry: “The Best and Worst Hike Ever” which will be forthcoming.) We also took a trip to St. George with Kris’ family and visited Lagoon. Kasey had his first swimming lessons, in which he learned the important skills of splashing and going under water. Tif and Kasey flew to Virginia with Grandma to see Heather (sister) and Javan (husband of said sister). They showed us the sights in DC and we had the best time. We miss them! We’ve been on a couple bike rides and park visits. What a busy and wonderful summer we’ve had! We’ve been so blessed and everyone is doing just great!

We did it. We got a dog.

2010-05-06T16:53:00.000-07:00

Tiffany finally agreed to a dog. In fact, she even said Kris could choose a dog for his birthday present. (It sounded like such a good idea at the time.) Her name is Molly May, and she is an English/American Bulldog mix, about 7 weeks old. We feel like we have another baby in the house! Kasey and Molly have quite a few similarities: (1) They both put everything in their mouths and are constantly chewing on things. (2) They are curious and inquisitive, getting into everything, especially what they're not supposed to. (3) They want your constant attention and company and cry/whine when you leave the room. (4) They both need to be trained; however, I think Molly has Kasey beat. She'll be potty-trained before Kasey's even walking (or else she better be!). :) Sometimes I think we are crazy - a puppy and a baby? What were we thinking?

As a stay-at-home mom with Kasey and Molly, things have gone fairly smoothly. However, we have had a few trying moments. We have a dog gate that keeps Molly in the kitchen area. One day Molly was in the kitchen playing and Kasey was on the other side of the gate playing. If I was in the room with Kasey, Molly would start to whine. Then, if I went into the kitchen with Molly, Kasey would start to cry. Even though the gate is see-through, they each wanted me right there! I didn't feel comfortable letting Kasey play on the floor with Molly, at least not without constant, vigilant supervision, so I thought of a solution. I put Kasey in the carrier and we proceeded to the kitchen. However, simply my presence alone wasn't good enough for Molly. She weaseled her way right onto my lap! I guess that's the solution, then. I'll be spending quite a few of my days, sitting in the middle of my kitchen floor, with both "kids" on my lap. This isn't quite what I pictured motherhood to be, but I guess it works!

We weeded the yard the other day, and Kasey chose to taste some leaves and dirt. (Molly did too, if you must know, but the evidence wasn't quite as pronounced on her face.)

More pics of Kasey (He's 7 months old on the 17th!)

Playing with dad! (He loves to flop himself upsidedown.)

Kris and Kasey in their Sunday vests!

P.S. If anyone has tips on dog housebreaking, childproofing your dog, and/or teaching a dog not to bite at your pants and never let go (Molly thinks this is so fun despite my stern "No's, shaking a can with pennies in it, and/or spraying her in the face with water), I'd be much obliged. Oh, and a reminder of why it's worth it to train a puppy might help, too. :)

New Job, Diaper Explosions, and Tulips!

2010-05-06T14:54:00.000-07:00

We have exciting news to announce: Kris interviewed for a job at USTAR for an internship this summer, and, you guessed it - he was on time for his interview! Oh, and he got the job! We (Tiffany and Kasey) are so happy for him! Of all the internship opportunities, this fits his interests and career plan the most. We are so grateful! We know the Lord is looking out for us! Tiffany is also accomplishing great things: She recently cleaned out the microwave and organized the baby food jars by category. Kasey, refusing to be outdone, is continuing to shock and awe with his diaper explosions. (See below for more details.) Nothing but greatness coming from the Jones' family! Even our house is catching on - check out these tulips! Who would have thought that the previous owners were such prolific gardeners? Lucky for us - Tiffany absolutely LOVES tulips!

P.S. (Do not read if you have a weak stomach.) One of Kasey's diaper blowouts was unbelievable. Poo (excuse me, I mean bodily waste) went up his back, extending in a slim-like manner to his armpits. After Kris managed to wrestle Kasey out of his shirt, the stuff was everywhere, including a nice-sized glob on Kasey's forehead. (Note: Kasey is now eating solids, and his excrements are no longer the sweet-smelling baby poos of old.) We expedited Kasey to the kitchen sink where he was rinsed clean. The whole time Kasey was crying, unsettled by our frenzied attempt to wash him. Then we plunked him in the bath. Poor kid!

Kasey is 6 months old tomorrow!

2010-04-15T19:53:00.000-07:00

Once again, it's been awhile since I've updated our blog. You can expect this in the future. Being a mom is a full time job! :) So, the update. We'll start with Kasey. He is just getting more and more fun all the time. He is sitting up now, starting to eat solids, and becoming quite the active boy. He grabs and eats everything in sight. He is so much fun, and we are learning his little ticklish spots that make him giggle and giggle. He makes us laugh and smile every day. Kris: He is working hard in his classes, almost finished with his second semester of grad school. He interviewed to be one of the directors for the UEC (Utah Entreprenuership Challenge) next year, and he got the position! In fact, he worked so hard as a volunteer this year with the sponsors that they made a new position just for him! I know I'm bragging a little, but he's worked so hard! Not only is this a great opportunity to be involved, but Kris will also recieve a part-time scholarship. We are so blessed! Kris is also working part-time on a construction job, in charge of the painting. He is so busy, but he's doing such a wonderful job managing work, school, and family. Tiffany: I'm loving being a mom! I do a little substituting now and then, but mostly I'm home, refining my diaper-changing, laundry-doing, dinner-making, house-cleaning, baby-loving skills! We'll use pictures to tell what else we've been up to:

Kasey's first hike at Zion's National Park. He knows he's one cool dude.

Mom and Kasey love to go on walks (and sometimes dad)! He's all ready to go!

Kasey loves playing with his dad.

And, as I mentioned earlier, eating everything in sight.

Check out this hat. For some reason, it made me laugh and laugh, even now just thinking about it! It accentuates his features quite nicely, dont' you think?

"Stop laughing mom! You're hurting my feelings!"

Kasey fell asleep holding on to his crib. Too funny!

Yummy, rice cereal!

Yay for sweet potatoes!

Last pic. We got some professional pics taken when he was 4 1/2 mo.'s old. This one was my favorite! Thanks for reading!

Kasey is four months old today!

2010-02-17T19:37:00.000-08:00

I can't believe it's been since November since we've posted anything! Who would have thought that being a mom and grad school would keep us so busy! We'll let the pictures tell what we've been up to...

(About 3 1/2 months old)

Kasey on his perch.

Hiking in Southern Utah - Kasey's First Hike!

(This was just last weekend - about 4 months old!)

Ahh Kris! The baby!

Best hike ever! Not for mom, though! :) Yikes!

First Immunizations (See the bandaids?)

First Christmas (I know, I'm really behind!)

One of my favorites!

Dad's Favorite Trick

Baby Blessing

Kasey's First Halloween

2009-11-14T16:31:00.001-08:00

Here's pics of Kasey's first Halloween. If you can't tell, he's a frog.

"I'm not so sure about this."

Thumb's up.

Kris is a lake, Tif a lily pad, and Kasey, a frog.

Kasey with cousin McKayle.

Kasey with Grandma Zanny.

Kris' brother Brian and his wife Terah. They went as Juno and Bleeker. Terah has a slurpee cup and everything. Sweet!

Baby Kasey: Chapter 1

2009-11-01T17:58:00.000-08:00

Warning - This movie is rated PG - BB (Probably Going to be a Baby Bum)
Viewer discretion is advised.

Well here is Kasey's fist few days. We love him to death as will be manifested by our blog I am sure. I think it is a common occurrence for parents to be completely enamored with their own children, at least until they are old enough to cause trouble. I'd like to say he is a cute kid but too many people say he looks like his father. Judge for yourself, enjoy the video. By the way, my favorite part is right after the birth - he hasn't seen anything yet. Dad shades his eyes so he can finally see the world. I love his response when he sees who his father is for the first time...

We can't believe that he is already two weeks old! These last two weeks have kept us busy feeding, changing diapers, and trying to get some sleep. Kasey has been a great baby so far, and we are so happy he's here!

He's Finally Here!

2009-10-20T20:36:00.000-07:00

Kasey Randall Jones

Born October 17, 2009 3:02 pm

6 lbs 11 1/2 oz.

19 inches

Kris and Tiffany had a bet. Whoever guessed closer to the actual due date got the privelage of choosing what Kasey came home from the hospital in.

Guess who won?

"MMM that feels nice"

The Fuzzy-Red-Hair Picture

"Kasey, how do you feel about your birthing experience?"

Everything went pretty well at the hospital. Tiffany performed labor with grit and grace. We are super excited to be home with our newest edition. He is getting right into a comfortable schedule of eating, sleeping, and pooping.

2009-10-10T19:41:00.000-07:00

Well, no baby update. I(Kris) have tried all sorts of stuff to get Tif's contractions to start, brisk walks, warm baths, spicy foods, interuteral threats, and other things I can't mention here. Still no luck. We are scheduled to speak in church tomorrow. For a minute, I thought the kid was planning a prank by waiting until after we prepared our church talks before coming out. Nothing yet, but we'll see. Perhaps Tiffany will go into labor in the middle of her talk. That too would be funny. Everyone cross your fingers. Beings we have no baby news we will share pictures from some of our sumer adventures, starting with Alaska!

Kris flies a thousand miles to play in the mud.

Geez it's cold!

Glacier up close.

Glacier from a distance.

Our lovely Alaskan abode, our home away from home.

Ranger Jones inspecting some large mammal skat (Kris sniffing bear poop!)

Hanging out above Russian Falls.

Our nation's mascot in all its glory.

A nice river.

This Yogi wanted to our snake our raft gnosh (the bear wanted our lunch).

A nice mountain.

This is Tiffany and I with our Friend Bekah Green before we went river rafting. She was the philanthropic impetus for our wonderful Alaska Adventure (She got us free flights!).

That's all!

Prego-Update

2009-09-20T19:55:00.000-07:00

Good news - we are finally feeling settled in our little house - Old Slanty. Yes, that's right. We got a call saying that the first rentors fell through, and they offered us a chance to rent! So, we scrubbed, cleaned, painted, re-did the bathroom floor, replaced the bathroomcounter, scrapped windows, deep-cleaned carpets, replaced outlet covers, wired a new light, and began a battle with the bees (currently living in the crevices of our back door) - and now this 100-year old house is home! It comes complete with it's own yard and the best part - a creepy old attic. We feel like we have so much space, and Kris is only a 15 minute walk from his classes at the U! We feel so blessed to be here. At first, I thought - we are going to have to really sacrifice living in this old place (at first, it seemed so run-down - dirty, poor-paint job, atrocious bathroom, no dishwasher, and no laundry), but now we can honestly say that we love it here! Pictures will be forthcoming.

Other news - in the midst of his battle with the bees, Kris was stung by a ferocious bee and his ear swelled up like an elephant's. Don't worry; after some intensive first aid care from Tiffany, he's okay.

Kris is working hard at grad school, and Tif has been substitute teaching until the baby comes. Only 3 more weeks! Yeah! We are so excited, and ready for the baby to come, but the baby's room isn't! We still have a crib to set up, dresser and rocking chair to buy, etc., but we are getting there! We attended our all day birthing class yesterday, and we've been reading a few baby books, so we are getting educated and ready to go! We can't wait to meet our son!

Below are a few pictures of my engorged prego-belly, proof that sassy and pregnancy don't mix!

We're still here!

2009-08-19T16:55:00.001-07:00

I know, it's been a super long time since we've updated our blog, and sorry, no pictures this time. We are in the middle of moving, but pictures will come!

Our summer has just been crazy, filled with trips to Lake Powell and Alaska, my sister Heather's wedding, plus packing, moving, and now apartment hunting in Salt Lake. We said good-bye to Renton, Washington on July 31 (tear, tear). We are going to miss all our friends there! It was such an amazing year. It's hard to leave!

Now we are in Utah, and Kris has just started his grad school orientation this week. Already, they have him working hard with school work! All last week we looked for a place to live. We drove around looking at dozens of options in the Salt Lake valley. (Who would have thought that there were so many places to rent?) We found a few options, and applied for a place within walking distance of campus. Even though the place was 100 years old (Kris affectionallly nicknamed the place "Old Slanty"), we were hoping to get the place. However, we weren't the only ones that applied, and we just found out today that it was rented to someone else. :( We are so sad. Now it's back to our list of places.

I've been growing bigger and rounder by the day, and little Baby Jones is getting stronger. He's kicking and rolling and elbowing all around inside. We're getting so excited to be parents! I'm planning on being a stay-at-home mom, but I'm applying to substitute teach until he comes. We can't wait until he gets here!

As soon as we're settled, we'll pull out the camera and post some pictures of our summer adventures, including a picture or two of my growing belly...maybe. :)

We're having a...Monkey?

2009-06-17T19:34:00.000-07:00

Well, techncally it's a boy. Here is the photo update. From the looks of the ultrasound it appears that our son is part monkey, or part dog, judging by the protruding muzzle area of his face. Tiffany contends that he is still developing and the doctor agrees with her, but I'm not buying it. Instead I am preparing for the best and thinking up some new names - like Capuchin and Koko. Besides, I think it would be handy to have such a prodigious proboscis; you could more easily lick the yogurt out of the poorly-designed, pain-in-the-butt, narrow-topped yoplait containers. I love preparing for fatherhood. By the way, it seems like lots of friends are going to have babies soon. I would highly recommend the Fatherhood book by Bill Cosby - best advice I've seen yet. Anyway, enjoy the ultrasound picture.

2009-06-01T14:13:00.000-07:00

WE FIND OUT WHAT WE ARE HAVING IN 5 DAYS! YEAH! Yes, on Friday, June the 5th, we willknow the gender of our child. We will definitely keep you posted!

Other news: Kris has officially been accepted to the University of Utah! We will be moving back to Utah in August. Originally, the plan was for Kris to earn a Master's of Construction degree at the University of Washington. Currently, he is just finishing up a construction certificate program as a pre-req for the grad program. But then, looking at the economy (now is not a ripe time for construction work) Kris decided it would be better to receive a degree in paleo-gynecology instead of a Construction Management degree. So, as we looked at our options for school, and compared the cost of living and going to school in Washington vs. Utah, the choice was seemingly obvious. Especially considering we will soon be having a baby (yeah!) we need to save our money, and U of U is much less expensive. Plus, there are two grandmas who are going to be delighted that a new little grandbaby will be nearby. It's my mom's first! So, back to Utah, here we come!

Our plan now is to enjoy the beautiful sunshine and glorious green scenery of a lush Washington summer. i am almost done teaching for the year - the last day officially June 23 - and Kris will be done with his program next week. Our summer plan is still somewhat up in the air - there are a few cosntruction jobs coming up for Kris, maybe summer school teaching for Tif, and perhaps an Alaskan adventure and a Lake Powell trip or two.

Any guesses, girl or boy? 5 MORE DAYS!

Adventures in Pregnancy

2009-05-24T10:09:00.000-07:00

Welcome to our life. We have been having a great time with Tiffany's pregnancy process. Thankfully thus far it has been fairly low-impact - not too much sickiness, lots of tiredness, and the occasional emotional moment. Tiffany is starting to show more and more. Soon we will be taking her to the store to find some nice pregnancy moomoos. I hope I can find a blue one with flowers like Homer Simpson wears when he becomes a big fat dynamo. Anywho, we posted a video portraying a snapshot of our pregnant life right now. By way of clarification, the dark scene in the middle is Tiffany eating crackers in the middle of the night. You can see it well on higher definition. It didn't come through very well on the blog. Also, the scene where Tiffany is hiding her tears during Dumbo, that is 100% real - no movie tricks there I swear. I hope you all enjoy.

"It's a Baby!"

2009-05-11T12:18:00.000-07:00

Hopefully you all figured out the clues - Knocked-Up, Bun-in-the-Oven, and 9 Months. We are having a baby in October. Many may have already heard. Word has slowly been getting out about our upcoming bundle of joy. I believe my mother started broadcasting shortly after we conceived. We have been enjoying the pregnancy process, Kris probably more so than Tiffany. Tiffany has to take naps and eat constantly, and Kris is responsible for making sure Tiffany's needs are met. We are 17 weeks or so along, and Tiffany is just starting to show. She is going through that tough middle stage where she kind of looks like she let herself go and started making donut runs on the way to school. Sometimes she feels self-conscious about her increasingly fluffy midsection. Other times she worries that she isn't gaining enough weight for how far along she is. I told her it is like growing a mullet. You get to the point where your hair isn't long enough to do anything cool enough, and yet it is long enough that people look at you with that "Boy, you need a haircut" stare. You just have to work through it to the glorious end (speaking of the mullet that is).

In just a few more weeks we will hopefully discover the gender if the baby cooperates during the ultrasound. Don't worry, if we don't get a good view I will keep poking Tiffany's belly until the baby rolls over or something. I am predicting a girl. Tif seems to think it is a boy. Whenever she refers to the baby she says "He." We will see. Currently we are taking name suggestions. I believe Ryan Rhodes suggested Max Power; one of Tiffany's students submitted Cooley McDude - both good options.

Tha'ts all for now.
Stay tuned for the upcoming Pregnancy Video!

Good news clues!

2009-05-03T19:42:00.000-07:00

Use the clues to figure out a secret message!

Clue #1

Clue #2

Clue #3

Still confused? Check again next week for the solution!

2009-01-30T15:21:00.000-08:00

We have settled down a bit since our big Christmas break. Tiffany stays busy with teaching. Kris works downtown every once in a while and goes to school. We still try to have our weekly adventures. I added a snowboarding picture from the trip to the Canyons we took with Kris' little sister Leisa as well as some other fun videos. One video is a clip of perhaps the largest single pile of sledders ever to grace the slopes of Mountain Dell Golf Course and the other is a clip of the awesome library at the University of Washington.

2009-01-05T16:24:00.000-08:00

Christmas / Year End Review

This year has been an adventure for us. We started at our little place in Logan. Tiffany was finishing her first year teaching at South Cache 8th and 9th grade center. Kris graduated in December in Business Administration. He worked intermittently throughout the beginning of the year from Washington to Texas. We both had a wonderful time serving in the Institute Married Student Association at Utah State University.

At the end of the summer we left Logan to stay at Kris’ parents’ house. During the summer Kris continued to work, most of the time in Bellevue, Washington. Sometimes Tiffany tagged along. Working alongside Kris during the summer afforded Tiffany the opportunity to search for and interview for jobs in Washington. While there, we also scouted for places to live.

Near the end of the summer we took a trip to New England. We started off in Palmyra, New York visiting church history sites. Afterward we drove to Boston for some national history and more importantly a Red Sox big league baseball game. The trip was finished touring New York.
In August we moved to Renton, Washington. Tiffany got a job teaching 9th grade honors English and 12 grade core at Kentridge High School. Kris enrolled in the University of Washington Construction Management program en route to a master’s degree. Kris has kept busy working part time, studying for and taking the GRE, and is now looking for a full-time job/internship in his field. We have had wonderful experiences exploring new places like Seattle city, Mt. Rainier, and Whistler, B.C., Canada.

It has been a wonderfully crazy year. Looking back we can see how God has really helped to direct our lives. Reflecting on the year past makes us grateful for our blessings, especially family, friends, and the gospel in our lives. Life is good for us and we hope it is good for you, too. Thank you for your friendship, love, and support. If you would like to visit Washington, we would love to be your gracious hosts.

Sincerely,

Kris and Tiffany Jones
journalofjones.blogspot.com

Mt. Rainer, Washington

Our Wonderful Whistler Weekend

2008-11-17T07:46:00.000-08:00

Whistler BC

We just got back from one of the most relaxing little vacations I have ever been on. Whistler is a beautiful quaint little village nestled in the Canadian Rockies. I would compare it to the Park City of British Columbia. We stayed at the most luxurious hotel I have ever been at. Here are some pictures.

The ski season hadn't officially started so we couldn't hit the slopes. We did however go on some fun hikes and strolled around the village shops.

This is us at Lost Lake

Kris played on the logs

Tif found the "Warming Hut"

This was the view off our little balcony

These are some of the waterfalls we visited. We went to Nairn Falls, Brandywine Falls and Shannon Falls. They were all rather impressive.

I included a video of Brandywine falls because seeing the water actually fall is most of the fun.

See you later

Learning how to blog

2008-11-03T19:06:00.000-08:00

Ok, we are going to experiment by posting random pictures just to play around. Let's see how it works.

This is a picture of us. Don't we look happy? Yeah...those were the good old days.

We made a blog!

2008-11-03T19:02:00.000-08:00

Yes, it's official. We've finally given in to the blogging frenzy. What will you see on this blog? Our life adventures, pictures, and stories, and occasional random funny stuff.