October Assortment

These are just some random pictures from late October.

Here we are just getting a few pumpkins at a pumpkin patch.











This was such a gorgeous day. We blew up Jackson's little bounce house and let him play. Curtis can't jump in it or it will break, but he can hang out in there.



Annabeth wasn't sure what to think.



No one is happier than Beckham when the weather finally turns cooler. We had him shaved in late August and his hair is starting to come back nicely. He's naughty but so handsome.



And he loves our kids.



Chinch bugs ate up a lot of our backyard grass this summer and made it look ugly, but this one side is still like a green carpet.

A friend invited us to her church's fall festival one weekend and we had a lot of fun there. This was the Samson Smash.



My pretty girl with our fall display.



All my flowers died last week. How pathetic is it that I can't keep potted mums alive? Seriously. We did have some crazy storms that knocked them all over the porch. Maybe that had something to do with it. Yeah, I'll stick with that.



The metal words on the big pumpkin say "Autumn Blessings." Isn't that cute? They were a gift from a friend. They're in rough shape after two years, but I've really enjoyed them.



I noticed as we were driving to Kemah and back that the leaves are starting to change now. It's always hard to believe that cool weather will ever arrive, but it does! At least for a brief moment.

A Tiger and a Bee

*I just realized I never posted our pictures from First Fest. I'm just going to re-post this from the other blog.*

Our church hosted First Fest on Halloween night. We went every year growing up, so it's fun to go now with my own kids. Back in the day, mom was the women's fitness director at our Christian Life Center, so she was always dressed in a costume for this event. On our way there, we were recalling some of her best ones, which included the year she went as a plumber (our family was in the plumbing business) and another year when she was a present. She wore a huge, wrapped cardboard box. I would give anything to have a picture or two. I don't have those, but I do have these!

Here is our little tiger giving a loud roar to let everyone know he had arrived.



The best part of First Fest is all the inflatables they have. Jackson loves these. Curtis and I had our wedding reception in this outdoor area at the church. I think our groom's cake was pretty close to where this thing is.



I'm really blessed because my groom turned out to be a fabulous dad.



There's our tiger getting ready to take the plunge.



Me and AB, who happened to be A Bee.



Why is Santa Claus at First Fest and why isn't he wearing red? Oh wait, that's Noah, as his name tag clearly states! Meet Pastor Gregg, who was preaching about Noah the next day. Next to him is Bethie and our little bumble bee who was trying to figure out if she should grab onto Noah's beard.



Here's Jackson getting his face painted by Cinderella.



My camera battery died on me, but my friend took this of our family.



I had a spare battery at home, so all was not lost. Here's the Queen Bee.



And here's her brother in a sugar high frenzy.



He kept saying, "I love candy!"



These shots are all the same - Annabeth looking a little iffy and Jackson thinking it's hilarious.

Rambling About Our Weekend

The sky is gray, the air is wet and a tad cool, I'm still in my pajamas, and there are toys all over the floor. Annabeth is napping and Jackson is playing with a green army helicopter toy. Curtis is back at work and our much-loved weekend guests are on the long road back home. It's another Monday morning at the Jones home.

Curt's mom and dad came to visit this weekend and we had a great time with them. They arrived in the late afternoon on Friday, bearing smiles and hugs and gifts. Jackson got a really neat scooter and Annabeth got a V-Tech Move and Crawl Ball (which is really cool in case you need to buy a present for a baby soon). That night we grilled burgers and just hung out.

My sinuses were making my face and my right ear hurt, so I took some medicine that proceeded to make me feel like a zombie. So I went to bed at EIGHT THIRTY. Curtis said that was the earliest I've ever gone to bed since he's known me and I'm sure he's right. We are typically such night owls. I remember him coming to bed around midnight and I felt like it should have been morning. Ha!

On Saturday we went to Toys R Us to get Jackson a helmet. I bought our first Christmas presents of the year without the kids knowing. We also had Jackson try out a couple of bikes because that's what we're thinking of getting him. He looked like such a big boy riding down the aisle. How is my firstborn almost four years old? Someone please tell me.

After that we went to Pappasito's for lunch. I have to say that it was the first time that restaurant has ever really bombed in the 15 years I've been going there. I guess that's pretty good for them! In the afternoon, Steve and Cozy took Jackson to ride his scooter. That night we went to Pottery Barn because that is what Cozy and I like to do together (everyone else waits in the car) and then we had dinner at Pei Wei. Yum, yum, yum. The adults stayed up late watching a movie called State of Play and it was excellent.

On Sunday morning we went to the early church service and then headed out to the Kemah Boardwalk. (Here's their web site, but be warned that a very loud song is going to greet you.) We had never taken the kids or our guests there before, so it was the perfect thing to do. We'd had gorgeous weather but of course on that day it was gray and drizzly. That may have worked in our favor because there were no crowds. We had lunch at The Aquarium restaurant and then let Jackson ride some rides. He had so much fun. Curt took him on the ferris wheel, which I would not dare get on. But later I saw a picture of it post-Hurricane Ike and the structure withstood the storm! I should be more brave next time. Curtis, Cozy and I then rode a wooden roller coaster and it was craziness! I screamed the whole time and kept catching air under my seat. That's a great ride. How dumb am I that I would do that but not the ferris wheel?

Later that night we all went to my parents' house and had some Goode Co. barbecue together. The chicken was really tender and I let Annabeth have some for the first time. She gobbled it up and kept leaning toward me for more. She also had some potato salad, but with less enthusiasm.

Mom got really excited because Annabeth reached out for her for the first time and then wouldn't reach out to me when I tried to get her back. There was much rejoicing on her part since, she said, she'd been working so hard for 9 months to earn it. Jackson was not a mama's boy but Annabeth is surely a mama's girl. That's not surprising as she comes from a long line of mama's girls.

I, too, was rejoicing yesterday because Annabeth said "mama" in my presence on two separate occasions. Mark it down! It was her first word! I proudly proclaimed to everyone within earshot that I believe I earned that.

Jackson came into our room crying this morning at 6. I thought he had either thrown up or he was scared. It turned out that the curtains had fallen down on top of him (he'd slept on the floor) and freaked him out. Annabeth also woke up at that blessed hour, so now it feels like it should be 3 o'clock in the afternoon.

I have two little Jackson stories that I don't want to forget. Jackson really likes to sleep without a shirt on, so a lot of times when we're dressing him for bed he says, "I want to sleep with my tummy." Last night he said, "I want to sleep on my tummy with my legs," which meant he wanted to sleep in just his underwear. I love his creative communication style.

This morning he came over to me while I was writing in my prayer journal and asked me to draw a monster on his hand. Usually he likes for me to draw a fish or a happy face, so I wasn't really sure what he was envisioning. I said, "What does the monster look like?" And he replied, "Like this. Rarrh!" Clearly, if I cannot draw a picture from that description, then I need some mothering classes.

Nine Month Report

I took Annabeth to the doctor today for her 9 month appointment. She didn't have to get any shots, but she and Jackson will both get four next time. That is going to be one crazy awful appointment!

I couldn't wait to find out how much weight Annabeth had gained since I weaned her. Get this - two and a half pounds! In one month! The last time I had her at the clinic was on September 30 (right at 8 mos.) when she had those hives. At that point I found out she had gained less than a pound since her 6 month appointment and I was very alarmed. A few days later she started the formula and the rest is history. I feel so affirmed that I made the right decision about weaning her. (Remember that I was warned by her doctor to also look for a change in personality and we had definitely been seeing that. If you are thinking about weaning but don't really want to, you should talk to your doctor and/or lactation consultant.)

I learned something new today. Apparently doctors look at the wrinkles (aka rolls) on sweet little baby thighs and check for symmetry. Annabeth has one less wrinkle on one leg, which means she has been putting less weight on that hip. Weird, right? They're going to re-check it at her one year appointment. I'm not going to worry about it because the doc watched her stand and thought she looked great. Also, I nearly fell out of my chair when I realized her next well-visit would be at a year. This has gone by so fast!

Here are her stats:
Weight: 17 lbs. 11 oz. 25-50%
Height: 27 in. 40%

The kids' current pediatrician is from the Middle East and our last one was from India. Our doctors have loved my babies' blue eyes and have fussed over them in the way that we women do. That always makes me smile because they get those beautiful blues from their daddy.

In other Annabeth news, her first tooth broke through the bottom gums on Tuesday. I can't believe it took this long! I was letting her chew on my finger when I felt it. I had wondered which teeth would bust through first because the top ones had descended long before the bottom ones.

She had two little milestones yesterday. I was giving her her morning bottle when I was overwhelmed by the smell of her diaper and couldn't wait one minute to change it. I knew she would be ticked if took the bottle away, so I asked Jackson to hold it in her mouth while I changed her diaper. He obliged, but she knocked his hands out of the way and held on to it herself for the first time. It was so funny!

Yesterday was also the debut of the Baby Sister Squeal. Until then, Jackson had gotten away with taking her toys without her telling on him. (Trust me when I tell you that I have seen it and have been dealing with it.) That all changed yesterday when she finally threw a fit at him. I was rather proud of her.

Now as I'm typing Annabeth is trying to pull up on the stairs for the first time. This is the first time she's even crawled out of the living room. It's something new everyday with her. Gotta run!

Help Find Joe Houston

A blog has been set up for anyone who would like to pray for Joe Houston and/or help with the search efforts. Teams of volunteers are urgently searching for him on San Jose and Matagorda Islands. Friends are driving down there from all over the place. Last week I looked up how long someone can survive without water. According to what I read, at the lower temps we've been having, it's still possible that he could be alive. Plus, servicemen and women have special training to survive in conditions that a normal person couldn't. We are all praying so hard that he will be found alive today. Here's the blog:

findjoehouston.blogspot.com

Thanks for praying!

A Little on the Value of a Life

I'm taking a little break from my unintended blog break to say that Annabeth Ellen Jones turns 9 months old today. If I had known how much I would love this baby girl, I would not have been able to contain my joy on the day I gave birth to her. I would have floated away from my hospital bed and landed on the moon. In the last week, Annabeth started clapping her hands (which makes her so happy) and saying "dadadadadada." She doesn't know what she's saying but it's still fun. She even threw in a couple of "mamamama's" the other day!

I think it's normal for moms to pause and take it in when their babies get to this age. My baby has been with me in my arms for as long as I carried her in my body. Do you know what occurs to me? PREGNANCY IS VERY, VERY LONG. I once heard someone say that because we carry our babies so long, women have a keen appreciation for the value of a human life. I love that.

Speaking of the value of a human life, did you hear about this? I am so amazed and blessed by this woman's testimony. I have been disheartened that even though we had a pro-life president for 8 years, we were not able to stop infanticide in this country. Now that we have the most pro-choice president our country has ever seen, what hope is there? But God reminded me through this testimony that laws cannot stop our God from working in the hearts of people. That is awesome! I love that the woman is quoted as saying, "I feel so pure in heart. I don't have this guilt, I don't have this burden on me anymore." God is so gracious to all of us. I am praying for this sister that God will bless her and protect her.

I have also been praying earnestly for the last week for my friend Jenn and her fiancee Joe. Joe is a Navy pilot based in Corpus Christi, TX, whose plane went missing around the Gulf last Wednesday. The body of his co-pilot was found but there is no sign of Joe. The hope is that his parachute worked and that he is safely awaiting rescue. The official search has now been called off, but other people are continuing to search today. There are many, many people praying for him. Please join us. You can read more about it here.

Life is really busy right now and work is on the very full side. Maybe this post will free me from my bloggers block, but if not, just know that the Jones family is well. Much love to you on this beautiful Tuesday.

A Litte Bit About Me

...As if you needed to know more!

I saw this little questionnaire on Heather's blog the other day and thought it would be fun to do. I'm sort of in a blogging rut anyway.

1. What is your favorite thing to snack on while your blogging?
Right now I wish I had some sour cream and onion Pringles.

2. What is one thing you wouldn't want to live without?
My non-spiritual, unemotional answer is a razor.

3. Beach, Mountains, or Farm? Where would you live if you had a choice?
This is hard! All three would be fun. Lately I've been thinking about farm life.

4. What's your least favorite chore/household duty?
Mopping. Yuck!

5. Who do people say you remind them of?
My mom, probably because I'm such an eloquent speaker and powerful teacher. Yeah right! We're quite alike in the way we think and in what we're passionate about.

6. Prefer parties and socializing or staying home with the fam?
I like to socialize but I hate being gone too many nights in one week. I guess I like whatever I'm lacking.

7. What's your all time favorite movie?
Steel Magnolias. All the women in my mom's family (Nanny, mom, my aunts, Melissa and I) used to watch this whenever we were together. That hasn't happened in a very long time, but the Moore girls still adore this movie and Annabeth and I watched it together in Wyoming. It was a full circle moment for me.

8. Do you sleep in your make-up or remove it like a good little girl every night?
Oh no, no, no. I would NEVER sleep in my makeup. I'd wake up with more acne than a teenager. That reminds me that I failed to mention the irony of having a serious acne breakout the week of my 30th birthday. I'm one of the lucky ones.

9. Do you have a hidden talent or a deep desire to learn something that you've never had a chance to learn? What is it?
I've always wanted to learn to ride English and jump fences.

10. What's one strange thing you're really good at?
I'm pretty good at drawing horses. And making collages.

11. What first attracted you to your spouse?
He was funny and he reminded me of Val Kilmer.

12. What is something you love to smell?
Mrs. Meyers lavender countertop spray. That is the best stuff!

13. Tell something about you that you know irritates people.
I can be really bad about calling or returning calls. The only time I like talking on the phone is when I'm in the car, but I try not to when I'm riding with my kids.

14. When you have extra money, what's the first thing you think to do with it?
Go shopping.

15. Are you a silent laugher or a loud laugher? What makes you laugh the hardest?
I used to be more of a silent laugher, but at some point I realized loud laughing is more fun. Curtis Jones's laughter makes me laugh the hardest, especially when he does the silent laugh/guffaw combo.

16. Where is your favorite place to shop?
I've always been very loyal to Banana Republic. Although I have to admit that I AM NOT AT ALL PLEASED with their decision to stop selling long pants in their stores. I will forgive them because of their merino wool sweaters, lycra undershirts, and LBD's. (Heather, I am very excited about my gift card!) I probably do most of my shopping there, at Forever 21, and at The Nord.

17. What's one thing you'd do more often if you had more time?
I'd probably read more books. Of course I could do that if I would turn off my computer.

18. Are you a big spender or frugal?
I wouldn't say I'm a big spender but I struggle at bargain shopping.

19. Who is your favorite character of all time?
I love, love, love Ivy (the blind girl in love with Joaquin Phoenix) from The Village. If we had another daughter, I can't swear she wouldn't be named Ivy.

20. Would you want to be famous?
I think being truly famous would be much more of a burden than a blessing. But being a little famous would probably give you a lot of the perks without the pain of being a spectacle everywhere you go. I'd rather be a less popular actress who was well respected than a superstar who couldn't go anywhere without being mobbed. Mostly, I think there's no possible way famous people are as happy as normal people. If you had everything the world has to offer - fame, wealth, and power - and that still didn't fulfill you, wouldn't you be terribly depressed?

What are some or all of your answers?

Catching Up with Big Pink Bear

I've gotten a little behind on posting my Big Pink Bear pictures. Here are months seven and eight.

Seven Months Old









I originally bought that dress for Annabeth in yellow, but when I got it home I kept thinking about the blue one. I ended up exchanging it and I'm so glad I did. She was beautiful in it every time she wore it. I can't decide whether to put this or her Easter/dedication dress in a shadowbox. That is if I ever get around to doing one.

Eight Months Old













I had already done some 8 month pictures of Annabeth in this outfit and posted them on the other blog, but I did them over again today. I'd wanted her to wear black leggings with that skirt and hadn't found any yet. Now it's perfect. I could eat her up in this.

Annabeth, at eight months old...
-You eat yogurt and oatmeal for breakfast, a veggie and a fruit for lunch, and rice and a veggie for dinner. (My sister just added "veggie" to the list of words she hates.)
-You just learned to crawl. You're not fast, but you're all over the place with your creeping and rolling.
-You're starting to fight me during diaper changes. You try to crawl away.
-You were just weaned and now you LOVE your bottle. You drink Similac formula and you get three bottles a day. You get your first one of the day in the big pink chair.
-You like Gerber puffs and teething biscuits.
-You sometimes spurn the pureed food. I bet I don't have long.
-You like peas and carrots. You don't have much patience for green beans and pears. You love bananas!
-I've stopped putting headbands in your hair because your hair is too long. It's just long enough to hold a bow.
-You are absolutely beautiful.
-You love to be held and talked to.
-You love getting a bath in mommy's big tub. It's very brief and you only get 2 inches of water, but you get very excited about it. You like to splash the water with your hands.
-You would like to play with Jackson's cars.
-You like other people, but you prefer your mommy.
-You do pretty well in the church nursery.
-Your daddy calls you Beauty.
-You wear 6-9 or 6-12 month clothes.
-You wear size 3 Cruisers during the day and size 4 at night.
-You wake up between 7 and 8 in the morning.
-You nap from 9:30-11:30 and then from 1:00-3:00.
-You don't say anything yet, but you've started making a "b" sound. I'm working on "mama" with you, of course.
-You still think your brother is hilarious, even when he's trying to shoot you like a slingshot in your jumperoo.
-You are dearly loved by your family!

And She's Off

On Tuesday, October 20, 2009, my baby girl crawled for the first time. I was sitting in front of a mirror in my bedroom, drying my hair when she crawled to the cell phone I had slid across the floor to bait her. I was watching her like a hawk because she'd been getting close for days. She did four little crawling steps toward my bedroom door. The sound of her little knees pounding the carpet is fresh in my mind.

I didn't have the camera ready when she was making her first strides, but here we were trying to repeat it.



It amazes me that at only 8 months she already seeks out the things that aren't brightly colored plastic, i.e. the things she's not supposed to have.



I lost several cell phones to Jackson's drool and don't plan on repeating that. But I had to give her a moment of victory.



If I'm remembering correctly, Jackson first crawled to a remote control. Girl to the phone, boy to the remote. Sounds about right.



Jackson crawled at 8 months and 14 days.



Annabeth crawled at 8 months and 17 days. Pretty close, I'd say!



I'm so proud of you, Annabeth!