Keeping Up With the Joneses

We had a great Christmas season. I got 3 whole weeks off work, the kids were off for 2 weeks, and we enjoyed every minute of it. We went to the BYU Christmas Party for probably the 10th year in row.  The kids got a chance to talk to Santa at our ward Christmas party.  I'm always amazed Myles is still a believer.  It took a few times, but eventually McKay was happy to go to Santa and say "I want toys." I always love the kids Christmas Programs.  Grandma Delta took McKay for the weekend and went to a "Grinch Festival" in Pleasant Grove with his cousin Daniel. They had a fantastic time.  We had our annual kids Christmas party on the last day of school before Christmas vacation. This year it was Myles' turn to host and pick the theme so he picked origami. We made origami Christmas ornaments and snowflakes.  I love that the kids have such great friends.  The traditional party portrait.  McKay and Max ma...

After a really busy few weeks, Marshall and I rewarded ourselves with an Anniversary trip (13 years!) to Cancun.  We planned it a few months ago when we found an amazing deal for an all-inclusive resort and cashed in some of Marshall's many Southwest air-miles. The kids were thrilled to spend the week in Delta with their Grandparents and Cousin. We had a great time, but I'm pretty sure they would say they had a better time riding back-hoes, shooting guns, and playing video games with all their cousins. Ahhh. After being in cold, cold Canada for my grandpa's funeral, the sand, sun, and beach felt AMAZING! Marshall went scuba-diving two days, we went to see some Myan ruins another day (Telum and Coba), and then another day we went to Xel-Ha which is like a snorkeling waterpark. It was beautiful. I think it is really great that after 13 years, 4 kids, 3 houses, and countless other milestones, Marshall and I still really like each other. It is so nice to get awa...

I just had to post these pictures of Max (7). He is growing into quite an independent and happy boy. One sunday morning he insisted on wearing a white shirt and tie. He came downstairs and asked "do I look like a missionary or a guy on top of a cake?" Max is really into art and was working hard to earn an art set for what seemed like months. It was a reward for learning to swallow a pill 5 times in a row. After weeks and weeks he finally did it. He hasn't swallowed a pill since. Grrr.  One morning I heard noise in the kitchen at about 5:30 AM and I came downstairs to this scene. Max had come downstairs, decided he wanted waffles and whipped cream for breakfast, and helped himself. 

We had a rough week a few weeks ago, with both Marshall's Grandpa Jones and my Grandma Milne passing away just a few days apart. We took the kids to Marshall's grandpa's funeral in Santaquin. It was a very nice service and it was wonderful to hear such fun and colorful stories about Marshall's family and the legacy he comes from.  I flew up to Canada alone for my grandma's funeral. We decided it would be too hard to take the kids and it worked out better this way, though it would have been nice to have them there. My grandma was a wonderful woman and her death was pretty unexpected. I'm so thankful I had so many memorable years with her. 

What can I even say about McKay. He is the funniest, cutest, cuddliest little guy in the universe. He is adored by his parents and especially by his brothers, and really by anyone he meets. He has been asking about his birthday pretty much since Mason's birthday last February, daily saying "is it my birthday yet?" Well, finally the big day came and we celebrated big time! When I asked what kind of cake he wanted he just said "a big cake." Costco to the rescue. It was just our family and Hannah and Ari, so the cake fed us for the rest of the week.  He's been practicing blowing out candles on everyone else's birthday cakes all year, so he was ready for his.  I really wanted to stay home with McKay on his birthday, but when his preschool teacher Ms. Linda told us what she had planned I just had to send him to school. The day was a huge party for him.  A few days after his birthday party, McKay had his 3 year well-check with Dr. Adams....

For the kids' fall break we decided to take a road trip to the Grand Canyon. It's something neither Marshall nor I had ever seen and we both thought it would be fun. We were right! The first night we drove to Vegas and swam in the pool. The next night we made it to the Grand Canyon just as the sun was setting. The view was absolutely stunning! The kids thought it was funny to be on top of the world.  I've seen so many amazing places with this great man as my traveling companion.  Max posing for a billionth picture.  The Grand Canyon National Park has a great Junior Rangers program. The kids worked really hard on it for 2 days and were rewarded by being sworn in as official junior rangers.  Mason intently working on his book.  Even Myles was really into it.  The park ranger was really cute swearing them in and making it very official.  Honestly, this is how we spent most of our time. Watching Marshall take ...

On a sunny day in October we took a trip to the Hogle Zoo in SLC and had a fun time. Riding the zoo train. Me and my Max on the carousel. McKay riding a great ape. About the one millionth picture we took with the statues.  Our four boys in the eagle's nest. I love hanging out with these fun boys.