December 30, 2009

Christmas 2009

Christmas this year was so much fun. We even got to have Jasper's mom spend 3 days with us at our house, and we all had such a nice time.

Christmas Eve was spent at the Bennett's house, then we opened presents Christmas morning at our own house, then headed off to the McKinnon household. Here is a sample of pictures.

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I dyed my hair brown

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I love him in this hat Christmas morning!

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He looks like a balding old man from the back.

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A lovely photo album from Mark and Anna.

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Jackson modeling the perfectly sized scarf that Aunt Lori made.

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Jasper and the newest book from his favorite series "Diary of a Wimpy Kid"

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Jasper's mom Lori and the blanket I mad her. It was my first attempt at a fleece pocket blanket. Lori doesn't like her picture taken, so I hope she won't object to this partial picture of her on my blog.

December 29, 2009

Christmas bumps and bruises

A Christmas list of Jackson's bumps and bruises:

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1. Christmas Eve before we headed over to Grandma Bennett's, Jackson was having so much fun at home that he refused to eat or take ANY naps. We tried to make him take a nap by sticking him in his crib in our room, and shutting the door. I should have realized before doing that, that we hadn't moved the crib down to its lowest level. Jackson decided he'd had enough of nap time and jumped out of the crib onto our hard wood floor. I heard the THUD from the kitchen and ran in to find him crying and with a huge bump on his head.

2. So tired from not napping, and excited at seeing a kitty, Jackson fell of the very bottom stair at Grandma's house and hit his head on the wall.

3. Christmas day he fell numerous times from tiredness - yes still refusing to take any nap. He refused to eat at Grandma McKinnon's house and threw a tantrum right in his highchair. Grandpa McKinnon took him and sat him down beside him in the chair, where he finally fell asleep.

4. The Sunday after Christmas at Grandma Bennett's house, Jackson was drawn to the top of her stairs like a magnet every time I turned around. He would run to the top of the stairs and stop just short of falling over the edge, carefully turn himself around and slide on his belly to the bottom, with me right behind him.

After dinner Jackson was done not eating and playing around on the ground. We had set a chair in front of the stairs to prevent him from falling. I saw him head toward the stairs and I followed him to the chair.

He started leaning over the chair, and was about to throw himself over the top of it. I pulled the chair back, trying to move him out of the way at the same time. Instead, Jackson threw himself over the chair and tumbled all the way to the bottom, as I screamed a blood curdling scream that frightened all the children. As I screamed my sister in law Anna used her head and ran to down the stairs as he fell somersault after somersault all the way to the bottom. I ran right after her and took him and cried more than him. That was the scariest most horrible thing ever!

5. Numerous other bumps and bruises. David's brother is in medical school and looked him over - so far no signs of any permanent damage or concussion. Thank goodness.

More Christmas pictures to come...

December 23, 2009

Pajama Christmas

Staci had the idea this year to have a Pajama exchange Christmas party, the Sunday before Christmas. Just for fun, to start a new tradition. Next year it might be some other exchange, but the new tradition is a family Christmas party the Sunday before the 25th. This is an easy enough concept to understand but I think I explained it to David like 18 times.

David: A pajama exchange? Huh?

Me: yes

David: Why?

Me: for fun.

David: But, are we supposed to wear the pajamas?

Me: If you want I guess.

David: What is the point. I don't want to wear pajamas in front of your dad.

Me: It is just for fun. You don't have to wear pajamas.

And on and on.

It was fun.

Staci bought a house recently and this was her chance to show of her new pad.

This is a week ago - Dad's saw is there that he used to cut the floors boards for her living room.

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Everyone is watching the last few minutes of the broncos game. Jasper is a huge fan.

David did have a good time, can't you tell?

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Her garbage bag window treatments are just temporary.

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If I had audio, this picture above would say "squeak, squeak" because Jackson got some new squeak shoes from his Aunt Heather. Every time he takes a step he squeaks. It is annoying and adorable at the same time.

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Staci's boyfriend got me a tweety bird nightgown. It was meant as a joke - but I think I look marvelous. Anne-Marie crocheted the scarf. I'm so stylin'.

Over all, good times were had by all.

Merry Christmas!

December 18, 2009

Forgetful Jones



I don't believe I've ever known anyone as forgetful as Jasper. Sometimes its cute and most times it makes me want to pull my hair out.

Things he has forgotten or lost because he forgot it. In the last two weeks.

  • Coat
  • Jacket
  • Glasses
  • Glasses case
  • Homework
  • Homework
  • Homework
  • Homework
  • Homework
  • Homework
  • Notes from teacher
  • Notes from the lunchroom saying I need to pay lunch money
  • Glasses again
  • Glasses case again (he hasn't had his glasses for even a month yet)
  • To brush his teeth
  • To brush his teeth
  • To use deodoraant (yes I know he's only 11)
  • His back pack
  • His gloves
  • Anything else you could possibly forget
  • Anything else 8 times.
Good thing he is so sweet and helpful and tries so hard to remember - or I'd be bald from pulling out my hair.


December 14, 2009

Merry Christmas!


Jackson gives Santa a thumbs up.


December 10, 2009

Pizza lover


Is there anything better than $5 pizza on a busy night?


I think Jackson discovered his new favorite food.

December 6, 2009

Christmastime

It finally feels like Christmas now that I have the tree up!

Jackson LOVES the Christmas tree.


Jasper put up all the ornaments, and I think he did a good job.




December 5, 2009

Favorites

Jackson doesn't hesitate to tell us who his best friends are.
Whenever we visit the Bennetts, he holds his arms out and squeals for his cousin Kazia.

And it is always Aunt Anne-Marie on my McKinnon side.

and when we go to church he sees his babysitter Gloria - and she's his favorite too.

When Daddy comes home from work, he's his favorite. When he sees Jasper in the morning and after school, Jasper is his favorite.


He loves to give out kisses, at Target the other day I showed him a cookie monster doll. He hugged it and kissed it.

I think he has lots of favorites.


December 4, 2009

What's new

Jackson loves to run from the vacuum,


and Jasper got glasses!



Jackson loves dogs and making a barking noise,



Jasper loves the bike he got for his birthday last month, and rides it even in the cold.




November 23, 2009

Art by Jasper

Jasper is not a fan of Elmo.

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November 20, 2009

Flashback Friday

The other day I was cleaning out a bin of stuff I'd saved ( I have way too many bins full of stuff).

I found a time capsule that I opened in 2001 - I made it in young women's (a class for the youth in my church) when I was 12 years old. At 12 I looked like the picture in this bookmark, also in the capsule.
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The capsule also held newspaper clippings from 1991 - during the Gulf War, a trophy I got at a piano recital, pictures, cassette tapes, and this letter to myself. I won't bore you with the whole letter so here are some fun excerpts :
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Yeah, I wasn't married in 2001.

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I loved the book Mrs. Mike. The picture I had in the capsule I previously featured here.

Going through the capsule and the rest of stuff in my bins was fun. Time sure goes by fast - just a few years ago Jasper looked like this:



November 13, 2009

Basement remodel

At this very moment, three big guys are delivering drywall and stocking it directly in our basement. Then tomorrow my husband and I - and my sweet family will be hanging it. I feel like I could die right now of happiness. This basement project has taken so long. We've been doing it slowly, paying as we go. We need the space this basement will provide so badly. Once the sheetrock is hung - there is still so much to do, but the idea of seeing walls down there just gives me the biggest smile. Yipee! Go basement!

November 5, 2009

Jasper turns 11!

Jasper turned 11 on Sunday. I just can't believe it - he is 11! When he came to live with us he was 9, and 11 just is so much bigger, and older. He had two birthday celebrations, one on Saturday (Halloween) after his last football game of the season. The McKinnon side celebrated with cake, presents and spankings.

Then Jasper got to have a sleepover at his Grandma Bennett's house where he trick or treated with friends, and on his birthday we celebrated with cake, presents and spankings. And as a very special treat his mom was there for most of the festivities. We all had such a fun time!

Sadly pictures were taken by my mom - so I'll post them when I get them.

Can you believe he is already 11?

Happy Birthday Jasper!!

October 29, 2009

Birthday Cake


For Jackson's birthday I made my first attempt at making a character birthday cake.

Take a look at this beauty:

In case you can't guess, its supposed to be Elmo from Sesame Street.


I forgot to buy black icing for the mouth, so we used chocolate chips. Honestly it was a little harder than I thought it was gonna be, so I just gave up. Jackson wasn't going to know the difference anyway.


Looks like he still enjoyed himself!

Mohawk etc.

Jasper had a mohawk for a few brief days. . .



before he and Jackson both shaved it all off.

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