Thursday, January 29, 2015

Goodbye 2014 Hello 2015

Josh and I agree that this year has been the hardest year of our lives. Not only did he go thorough the toughest training he has ever been through but our family was separated for so long.  I'm so glad that this year is over and I'm looking forward to a great 2015!! 

Kaleb Jones

Kaleb has gotten so much better this year. We were finally to stop all medication for his GERD and he is doing great. His little personality is developing more and more everyday.  He is definitely a different kid but he makes me laugh. He is so indifferent. Even if he know something is one way he will argue that it's different with this sneaky grin on his face.  He also has a funny way of saying things. Instead of saying I'm hungry he says "I'm a bit hungry" or "It's a bit cold outside" lol it's so cute. Also instead of saying I can do it my self he says "I can do it my own" :) 
of course there is still the thumbs up with his pointer finger 
He also climbs anything he finds. He was looking up at my mom's kitchen lights one day and said "I'm going to get up there cause I can climb anything" lol


We also potty trained him this year. Well, I should say Josh potty trained him lol He did great though. It only took a few days. Pooping on the potty was the hardest. He got the peeing and not peeing at night quick but once he realized it was better to poop on the potty than get a spanking he was awesome 
His lips are always chapped! 
And we can't forget the train shirt.  This was his favorite shirt last year and he wanted to wear it everyday. This summer it was so hot and he was insisting on wearing it so I hid it and told him we left it in VA when we went to graduation. Then one day this fall he came running so excited "Mommy Mommy I found my train shirt!!!" So now we are back to wearing it all the time and fighting with him to let me wash it lol
One things for sure he is a momma's boy. He is always by my side no matter what I'm doing. :)
 I just love this picture 

Jack Jones

Jack has grown up so much this past year. He is the sweetest little boy and so kind hearted. He loves music and LOVES to dance.  We dance everyday. The kitchen is our favorite place to dance.  I love the look in his eyes and the smile he gives me when we dance.  It has been a big year for us and this move has been hardest on him.  He misses Colorado and his friends so much.  The first few weeks in the house we skyped with Adalie and Maddy, and Maddy and Kenzie a few times.  He is constantly asking about all of his friends. I'm hoping once we meet some more people here and he makes some friends it will be better.  We have been here six months and he still says "mom I miss Colorado" or "I just don't like this house, I miss our old house." It breaks my heart but I just smile and try to make this place seem awesome.  I can't believe he is 5 already. His favorite toys are still trains and his favorite color is orange. He still wants to be a construction worker when he grows up. His new favorite show on tv is gold rush. He loves watching it will daddy and he loves seeing big red.  He brings so much joy to our family. 
Some things that he has started this year is hoarding and recycling lol Don't get me wrong I'm so glad he cares about the earth and wants to make it a better place but the boy doesn't want to throw anything away.  Even if it's trash I have to say "put this in the recycling" because he freaks out if he thinks something is getting thrown away.  Sometimes I will clean up and get rid of stuff then next thing I know I see it and Jack says "mom, somehow this was in the trash" lol

One night at my moms he decided to put chocolate syrup in a bottle of water and it was gross. Josh told him to throw it away and he panicked an said "no, I'll drink it" and that's what he did. He drank that nasty water just so we wouldn't throw it away.
 He also can't walk past a piece of trash on the road without picking it up.  On halloween he saw this wrapper in a drain and wouldn't continue with us until he picked it up. He put it in his coat pocket and threw it away when we got home.  He is always doing this with pop cans, paper, water bottles, anything on the ground he wants it in the trash can lol
Uncle Mello's truck was having some problems while we were home so Jack helped him fix it.  He loves his uncle Mello and loves going to WV and working with him in the garage and outside. 


One day in WV we were going through the drive through at Little Caesars, yes pizza is still his favorite food, and he said "Mom why doesn't pizza places have playgrounds?" I told him I didn't know the he said "Well, when I grow up and am a construction worker, I'm going to build a pizza place with a playground right by the railroad tracks so the kids can play and watch trains go by." 

A few weeks later we were driving to Kelly's and he got excited and said "Mom, that's it. That's where I'm going to build my pizza place. That building is really old and I'm going to tear it down and build my pizza place." :) This is an old store that was open when I was little and you can't really see in this picture but there is a train track across the road. 

I found them watching football and thought back to this picture. It seems like yesterday. 

He really has grown up so much over this past year. He definitely isn't my baby anymore.  We think he is looking more like his cousin Trey everyday.
 Jack and Kaleb were playing the other day and Kaleb head butted him and gave him his first black eye. I have never seen a bruise come up as fast as this one. 
One things for sure. He sure has his daddy's facial expressions :) 


DC Temple

 So my goal this year was to work more on family history and go to the temple once a month. Well, I failed. We went to the DC temple on Dec 30 and that was my first time this year. I saw on the ward Facebook page that they were having a youth temple trip so I met them up there and went in and did baptisms while the boys and Josh hung out in the visitors center and enjoyed all the Christmas activities.  I did do family names but they were cards that I had printed in March of 2013. The most important one though was my dad.  I had been putting it off for so long wanting Josh to do his work but it just never works out that we can go together for baptisms so I decided it was time and just asked one of the young men to do it. 
 When I got there I went to have my cards printed and the lady said one of them wouldn't print. When I checked it was my dads and instantly I had a heavy heart and wanted to cry. One of the women with me said "oh well, he's not ready" but I just had this feeling in my gut that it needed to be done today. Then I remembered another paper that was printed and i put in the bottom of my bag and I handed it to her and it printed. I instantly felt joy and relief. 
I've always heard stories about people doing loved ones work and how they felt them there and I always thought that was crazy but when they did my dad's work I knew what they had meant. I mean I didn't see him or feel him or anything but I just knew he was there.  The next week was crazy because I  didn't miss him as much as I usually do because I felt like I had spent time with him. Crazy I know but it was just what I needed and a great testimony builder :) 


update to the boys bathroom

Before
I really didn't plan on doing this now but we were putting primer on a desk so I thought since I had it out and I would just go on and primer the bathroom because I knew I was going to do it eventually. It was like this for about a week then I finally finished it.

 I love it!!! I used the same blue/grey as the living room. 
I had a friend from home make this sign for me while I was home for Thanksgiving. :)


Merry Christmas!

Our first Christmas in Virginia was a great one. We didn't have snow which bummed us out but we were together as a family and that was the most important thing for me. In Sept they had told Josh that he had to depoly and I was so sad because I just wanted the holiday season together as a family. Luckily that one got called off and we had this time together. :)
 I knew Santa was bringing them paw patrol toys so I made them bags to keep them in yesterday! I think they turned out great. 
 They loved the remote control cars aunt Jody and Devan sent. 

 Jack was so happy Uncle Mello got him the truck and boat he had been wishing for
 Carla was awesome to send the paw patrol lookout
 They love the new PJ's grandma and grandpa sent.  They wore them for like the next three days lol



Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve was so different for us this year. We are used to spending it with our Army family and this year it was just us.  
Santa Came!!! 


Wednesday, January 28, 2015

Josh's first building project

We didn't notice till we moved in that there wasn't a mantle on the fireplace. Josh wanted to build it himself and he did a Great job! 



We finally got some stuff hung on the wall behind the bed and the curtains up. I'm not completely done with the room yet but it looks 1000 times better


Before we left for WV in the fall we noticed that our toilets weren't flushing right.  I kept putting it off until my sink wouldn't drain so I knew something was in the way.  I never dreamed it would be tree roots! 
I signed up to take cookies to Josh's work party and honestly nothing puts me more in the Christmas mood than baking :)

 Luckily, Willie brought us some christmas sprinkles

 eating the christmas sugar lol


Job well done!
They love their train
 My Handsome Boys


We heard on the radio about a Christmas in the park here in VA so of course we checked it out. It was really pretty but I like Logan's better ;)