After the Sssnake

After the Snake we all went to my mom and dad's house where we had some delicious burgers. Everyone loved them except Jackson who nibbled on a potato chip.

Then my dad, Jasper and David went target shooting.

One of Jasper's targets is shown below. I think this was his first target page, or whatever you call it.

Honestly, I don't see the appeal of target shooting, or shooting in general. Hunting - what for? Doesn't seem fun to me! But my dad loves it, and Jasper is a fan as well.

My sister Staci, my mom and I made our own fun shopping with Jackson at the D.I., some consignment stores and Hobby Lobby - my new favorite place.

Overall, good times were had by all.

Ssssnake!

Saturdays are my favorite days. I love cleaning everything and I love everyone else cleaning things too. There's nothing like relaxing in your basement after a long day of chores to watch a family movie together. Of course tonight its the Suns vs Lakers. Go Suns!!

Earlier today while I was scouring the kitchen and Jasper was cleaning his room (is it just Jasper or do all pre-adolescents take two hours to clean their room?), David was outside doing some yard work. He came inside with Jackson's blue bucket looking very eager.

David: Where's Jackson?

Me: I just barely put him down for his nap. Why, what's in that?

David: A SNAKE! (he was grinning)

Me: Well he's not asleep yet, I'll go get him.

To Jackson's delight he was saved from his nap to meet his first snake ever.

Jackson: EeeeAhhh!!!

Jasper pretty much had the same reaction.

Jasper: Yes! Can I have it?

Jackson Eeeed and Ahhhed, and SSSSsssssed and then ran off to play. Jasper moved on to his next chore of mowing the lawn, when after a while he ran inside.

Jasper: The SNAKE is GONE!

Me: What?

Jasper: And the back door was OPEN!

Me: WHAT?

Jasper: He could be inside or outside!!

Apparently Jasper lovingly put some stuff inside the bucket he thought the little guy would enjoy - rocks, grass, sticks. Unfortunately this stuff also enabled him to make his escape.

Anyone want to come over and see if its inside our outside?

Trip Pics

I only have a handful of pictures, because my camera broke shortly after we got there.

I do like what I have though.

Enjoy!

Glen Canyon Dam

He loved wearing the headphones.

Heather doesn't make a good pillow. Here she is reading The Hunger Games, by Suzanne Collins. If you haven't read it yet, you should.

Our cousin Kacey got married. The ceremony was beautiful, she was beautiful. I have no pictures of her awesome reception. But take it from me, it was beautiful.

While there, Jasper got to meet his new cousins, aunts, uncles and of course his new great grandma (of course I have no pictures of any of that or them). Meeting them was a favorite part of the trip for him, which made me really happy.

Home

We're home safe!

Pictures to come soon of the Beautiful Bride.

The trip was great - and we all remain relatively unscathed. A few quarrels and nothing more.

Some things I've learned about road trippin':

• I like mini-vans
• I like suburbans even more
• If we ever got an SUV or mini van I would want a DVD player in it
• Jackson is a pretty good road-tripper
• Jasper is a GREAT road tripper
• Bananas do not make a good "snack" in the van.
• Trail mix is not a good "snack" either.

I don't want to live in:

• Marysvale
• Circleville
• Orderville
• Panguitch
• Kanab
• Page
• Probably not Flagstaff

Road Trip

I love road trips.

Growing up we went on lots of family road trips - usually to Mesa, Arizona where most of my relatives live.

All 7 of us would drive in our old Chevy Suburban and drive non stop through Kanab all the way to my Grandma's house.

Old pictures like this remind me of fun trips to Grandma's house.

I remember those road trips fondly, although I also remember getting in lots of fights with my sisters.

My cousin is getting married this weekend, so my family is going on another road trip to Mesa.

My family, as in my own family - and three of my sisters. Unfortunately my other sister Becky can't make this trip.

That makes 7 of us.

Oh, and all of us are going together - in the same van.

I'm nervous!

Mostly because I haven't taken my baby Jackson on a trip in the car for longer than 4 hours at a time. Luckily I have lots of treats and Aunts who will be good entertainment.

Also because I worry my sisters and I will regress and have arguments about who gets what seat and who is breathing on whom.

Am I crazy? I think a little.

Wish us luck!

Brothers

These two are meant to be brothers.

And now they officially are.

Monday, April 26th - we went to our courthouse and became Jasper's adoptive family.

Jasper has lived with us for over two years now, and we have been his legal guardians. At the beginning of this year, his mother Lori approached us about becoming his adoptive parents.

I've been truly touched and humbled at Lori's selflessness as Jasper's mother.

She raised him well for those first 9 years. He is such a wonderful boy. She knows her limits and loves him enough to give him the best life she can.

When the option to adopt him was presented to us - we felt joy, happiness, relief, and excitement. These past two years with Jasper have been very good - so rewarding, fulfilling, so right. Also at times full of worry - wondering how long we would get to have him.

Now that feeling of worry has been replaced with feelings of comfort and peace.

So Monday we planned an adoption celebration and after our time at court was done, we went to our local aquarium. Since it was a week day during school hours, it was the perfect time to go.

Jackson loved the "wishies".

After the aquarium we went to a family dinner with both sides of our family. We had so much fun.

Here are my boys.

(Don't be scared of my newly painted fluorescent door. I tried to be adventurous and paint it green. I'm not sure about how BRIGHT GREEN/YELLOW it turned out.)

These two didn't know what they were in for.

They never knew they would have it so good.

Quiet Book

I came across this blog

http://quietbook.blogspot.com/

and now I totally want to make a quiet book for church. I almost hate church right now because Jackson is very much a toddler. Stickers, snacks and crayons keep him busy for a little while, but we have to take him out to the foyer every Sunday and it causes me severe stress and anxiety.

Luckily he is old enough for nursery this coming Sunday! I am stoked, and hope he LOVES it, and doesn't cry when we leave him there.

Anyway, I want to make a quiet book, and this blog looks AWESOME. It gives all the instructions and ideas.

However - I'm having doubts. Mainly because:

• I have no working sewing machine (its on my list of things to fix that cost money).
• I am not crafty
• I am not patient and have been known to throw things across the room that don't work.
• This weekend I hemmed my IKEA curtains - using NO SEW hem, and am so good at crafty stuff that I cut off 18 inches too much! Yeah, I was pretty angry after that.
• I am already looking on ETSY for one that I can just buy, but none of them look as good as this one I could make and I am also too cheap.

Hmm.

I'll keep you posted.

D.A.R.E.

Jasper is in 5th grade, and all the 5th graders in his school recently completed a program from D.A.R.E. (drug abuse resistance education). At the end of the program, all the kids pledged to resist drugs and violence. Each student also had to write an essay about what they learned.

Jasper's essay was one of 7 that was chosen as outstanding, and he won an award!

He got to read his essay at an assembly, and even earned a medal.

Way to go Jasper!!

The whole family got to go to the assembly and hear him read his essay. Jackson saw Jasper and screamed for him and clapped clapped clapped.

I sure love you Jasper and am so proud of you!

Bad Mama

Jackson woke up from his nap the other day and I hurried and changed his diaper, and slipped his shorts back on. We went downstairs and he was suddenly very whiney. Whine whine whine! He is not usually a whiny baby and I couldn't figure out his change in attitude.

I turned on some Yo Gabba Gabba, we played blocks, but he still kept whining. He also kept falling and tripping.

So I grabbed him by the hand and we headed up the stairs to go play outside, which usually solves all problems. I held his hand as he walked, and I noticed he was walking funny. Something was wrong with his feet and he started whining again. I took a closer look, and noticed that I had shoved both of his legs into one pant leg!!

Oops!!

I laughed and quickly fixed his pants, and Jackson was so relieved. David came home from work right then also and we both had a good laugh, and wondered how I could be so unobservant and clueless!

Bad Mama.

Vowel Baby

Whenever I try teaching Jackson his ABC's, he will almost always repeat

"A E I O U, A E I O U, A E I O U."

His babysitter says he does this at her house too.

I am pretty certain he has no idea what he is saying, but it is pretty cute.

And he also makes an awesome centerpiece.

Recipe by Jasper

Jasper wanted to give me some ideas for dinner.

Here is a recipe for Macaroni and Cheese that he came up with:

Not bad - minus the TROUT.

More recipes by Jasper to come.

My Kind of Basketball

Jackson got this wonderful basketball stand for Christmas last year. He is still a little too short for it, so he has since created a new way to play.

He knocks the hoop down to his level. If this were the way it was really played - I might even make a basket or two!

His other method is to just stand underneath the hoop and touch the ball to the bottom of the net.

I think he's got the right idea.

Jasper's Bedroom

When Jasper first came to live with us, the basement was still a dream, nowhere close to being finished. Once we started construction, Jasper was a little wary of living in the creepy downstairs - and I don't blame him! I promised him once the basement was finished that he could paint it whatever color he wanted.

Oops!

We ended up compromising since I was not going to let him paint it ALL BLACK or ALL RED.

I think the end result is just right.

Before:

Here is part of the compromise - a black magnetic chalkboard, using Rustoleum paints.

After:

A dark brown wall - looks okay actually!

I might even use some of this green when I'm up to painting Jackson's new room (upstairs in Jasper's old room).

My dad made this dresser for me when I was little. It is still in great shape and just right for Jasper's new room.