20 months old and growing...

Ok, every post I make is something to do with how fast time is flying by!  This one is no exception, so there it is, its going way too fast!  I googled my blog the other day and for some reason it brings up the first post I ever made a couple years ago.  I spent a few minutes going back through them and it really is cool to have stuff documented like that.  And, if a disaster ever hits then its preserved, barring the server at Google is nuclear proof.  And in that case, my online scrapbook probably doesn't matter much because we are all, well, you know....

I have --no the earth isn't ending-- started jogging again!  Yep, I decided to dust off the ole' runnin' shoes and trot my ever increasing-in-size butt down the road.  I push the kids in the stroller and away we go.  Its not been to bad, and I have 3 weeks under my belt so it might be a habit for a while, at least as long as the weather holds out. 

Rodeo season is here, EHV virus stay away.  What a quiet May with EVERYTHING shut down because of it.  But, I am entered up and planning on getting some barrels ran and some rodeos entered.  Too bad Crash is too sore to be using, but I have others to fill his place while he let's his sore toes heel.  Too much mud and rain = sore horses

Boise trip--super fun.  We swam and ate good (the Sushi restaurant was a bit of a disaster though) and I gave some barrel lessons on a horse I trained a few years back. It was great to see Kylee & Brodee, Ryker & Stacy.  What a beautiful place to live.  We are at the 'itch' point for us, we don't seem to stay longer than 4 years anywhere and we've been in beautiful Tremonton for four years (who'da thought I'd have even lasted this long), so it must be time to start thinking about where to head next!  That area is on The List.  The only bad thing is its getting a lot harder to pack up and go now that we have the rugrats!

Speaking of rugrats, we got them a puppy (puppy, dooggie, puppy, doogie repeat 100 times to see what Teague is saying these days).  Chachi is entertaining for them, but I think we jumped the gun a little, they are a little rough with him, and now he's getting a little rough back.  He might be more of an outside dog if this all continues!  I'm constantly rescuing someone or something!

We went to Cort & Amanda's a couple weekend's ago and the kids all had a ball riding the ponies.  Looks like we are in the market for a pony now.  Our kids really seem to enjoy being horseback.  And that's a good thing since they'll get plenty of time aboard a horse in this family!

At the Zoo in Boise, looking at the Penguins

A short moment of sharing the new puppy



Told ya they liked the pony rides!




Dad getting his exercise trotting the kids back and forth, the faster the better!!



And more trotting...

He kept calling himself Daddy here, since he has on dad's hat & shoes

Ryker, Brodee, Coby & Twins swimming.  Teague's not too happy about me getting out of the pool

Me & our little waterdog, holy cow this kid loves water!

At the Zoo

And to recap...

Easter has flown by.  Mother's Day has flown by.  My mom's visit in early April has come and went.   Apparently Spring has flown by since we are back to 40 degrees and rain and gray.  AAAHHHH...time is going by way too fast.  This is such a wonderful time of life and its disappearing on me!  You really have to stay on top of things so you don't miss a moment of it.  When you think about the snapshot you are going to have of your life, after your life is over, I really will enjoy looking back on these precious times.  These are the one's I want to have in my memories forever.

Easter--we went to Grandma Jami & Grandpa Bob's and had a fun weekend hunting Easter eggs, frying up a steak and watching a little 3D TV.  We also took a beautiful drive though the mountains.

Mother's Day - we went to Cort & Amanda's for the day, enjoyed church and a good Sunday dinner together.  It was fun to visit with them.  We are all so busy these days we don't seem to get together as often as we used to.  When we do, we always seem to have fun.

New baby--my buddy Jodi had her first baby girl a couple weeks ago, I'm so excited to see her this summer!   Its so exciting getting your first baby.  We've talked a lot over the last several months and it makes me realize how much you forget, even just a year and half after having them.  When you get that newborn handed to you its so overwhelming wondering how you'll know how to take care of it (them in my case).  I didn't even dare diaper the babies in the hospital because what if I did it wrong?  I probably set a record with the nurses asking questions on what about 'this' and what if 'that'.  When you are in that moment you can't imagine them being anything but a cute little bundle.  Now look, mine are little whirlwinds!  I wonder how I'll feel when I'm 50 and they are in high school.  I'm sure I'm not the first mother to have those feelings 'oh, my babies are growing up!'

Nursery--now the kids are old enough for nursery I thought it would be so easy, just go drop them off, they have a great time, I get a couple hours break, everyone goes home happy.  Instead, there is clutching and grabbing and uncontrollable sobs (and no not from me!) and trying to sneak out (unsuccessfully).  Guess we have some attachment issues??!!  I don't know, I guess its hard to go from being with mom 24/7 to her dropping us off and leaving us to fend for ourselves with 15 other kids twice our age.  Ideas?  I don't know what to do to make it easier on them.  So, in the meantime, I'm learning the nursery program pretty good. 



Word of the week for Teague -- 'Stuck'.  Everything is stuck.  He gets sssstttttthhhhuuuckkkkk, his foot gets stuck, his toys get stuck, sometimes Taya gets stuck.  Lots of stuff around here is getting stuck!  Taya has found a real passion for footwear.  She is constantly finding shoes and putting them on and shuffling around in them.  And, even though you have a 50/50 chance of getting them on the right feet, she pretty much ALWAYS winds up with them on the wrong feet.  It has caused me and Coby a lot of laughter over it.  There is just nothing funnier than a kid that stomps around so proud of their shoes with their toes pointing out the wrong way.

easter egg'in

2 wrong feet, 2 mismatched shoes, but still havin' fun on the stick pony

chillin' with grandpa bob

huntin' easter eggs



teague & daddy comin up out of the dry bed

 Oh, the days are getting longer, which means we are getting less and less sleep.  Seems like there is so much to do outside that we keep pushing bedtime back later and later.  Maybe a good rainy day or two is exactly what we need--then we don't feel guilty for not being outside working!  And to come, we have family visits ahead, some coming here, some us going there.  I will be SURE to blog it! 



me & teague just for fun



Twins were in the news a lot last week and it was fun to learn a few interesting things about them.  Like,

How much fun they have together & that they have a 'closer' than usual sibiling relationship.  Check (every kid needs a twin to play with, they always have a playmate)

How they have their own secret language 40% of the time.  Check (it is fun to watch them converse together, it will be interesting to see if mine go on with their language)

They are 50% more likely to be left handed.  Hopefully NOT check!  (it makes it hard to be a roper and I already own 22 pairs of right handed scissors)

I have been getting cussed for not videoing and posting more of the babies doing their cute and fun stuff so, this week I tried to capture a few fun moments (tried I seem to always miss the best kodak moments).  I always wonder how those people that post cool stuff to YouTube do it.  Do they just have a camera on ALL the time?  I got a few cute things, I'll keep working to get better!

Master Word List:

momo = Elmo
bappo = apple
teet = treat
dink = drink
nah = drink
mo = more
hoosy = horsey
moo=Cow

Cowsa=Cows
unky = Mickey
kooky=cookie
seya = See ya
bye bye = Bye Bye
some are getting pretty good!  Teague is still a little further along in vocabulary, but Taya will babble on in full paragraph or story form.  Some say its typical of a woman, blab,blab,blab! 

They had their 18 month check up recently as well, very healthy kids.  33 in tall and 27 & 28 pounds.  We are so lucky to have such healthy kids!

This week Grandma Saundra is flying up for a visit.  So, we'll be out and about doing some fun stuff together!  Coby is headed to the Logandale rodeo so he's got a little fun in store for him too.  Now if this rainy weather would leave....

Spring weather, what the...

Snow, today?  Really????  Its the end of March!

Testing out the new rain boots...we came home to so much water and mud I got on the Internet and ordered the kids the cutest little rain boots right away. I got tired of them soaking their tennis shoes 2 minutes after being outside. For the kids, the best part of being outside is playing with the cats, feeding the cats (they are really FAT) and sitting on the 4 wheeler while we clean stalls.

Has put the cat in the food bin

Mud & straw on the new purple boots!

Cuddle Bugs chillin' on a Sunday afternoon

What else have the Jone'ies been up to?  Its been crumby spring weather, so not a lot of outside time this week, Sold a couple horses, bought a horse, I guess we've been busy that way.  Other than that, just busy with work.  Oh, Coby finally got moved to the Brigham Temple so he's only working 15 minutes from home, and that is really nice.  Guess that's it for now!

Back To Real Life

Arizona has and came and went for us.  What a fun time in the sun!  This year Coby was able to come down with us so we got our first family vacation in a long while.  Three weeks of fun!  He and I did a lot of driving between Phoenix and Tucson (for the rodeo) so we got to catch up on all the lost time for him working out of town this winter.  I use the term winter in the past tense now, as far as I'm concerned, it is OVER!

I love how you get a little perspective after being gone.  I always seem to come back with a new idea or direction, it seems like you just can't get that living in your same world every day.  Maybe that's the deeper side to 'Getting out of the box'.  Stress...I just seem to forget the little stuff that was worrying me.  I'm so thankful everyday that I only have little stuff, not big stuff to stress. 

Mexican food...I ate it almost everyday, to the tune of a few well-worth-it pounds gained.  I call it 'Shopping and Lunch' and its one of my very most favoritest things in this whole world!  That could go on my headstone, 'R.I.P. she's out lunch'.

Being a rodeo kid SO rocks!  Mom dresses you up real cute, takes you where there are lots of people, it smells like corndogs and cotton candy, and you get to play in the dirt all day!






Its way fun to watch with the other kids who's dad's are in the rodeo

 

Saddle sore...We rode and rode that desert, so simple, but so enjoyable.  Jackpots...went to a handful and tried to shake the dust off, its been a while.  Horses performed pretty dang good.

Grandma--so much help and so good to the kiddies, I love our visits so much!  Taya said 'I Love You' for the first time, not to mom, not to dad, but to Grandma!  She has not said it since.  hummmmmm....

Outside--Teague & Taya could NOT get enough of going outside and playing.  They never touched a cactus, there must be some primal instinct as homo sapiens to not touch weird sharp looking objects.  AND...the highlight of their trip was: 

They could not get enough of the Mule.  Hands down, the best babysitter yet!  At every opportunity, they were on this thing, even if it was just sitting in the garage.  And it didn't matter who started it up--they came running to catch a ride!

I LEARNED...there is actually a 'trash' cactus that JUMPS at you.  Beware to not get close.  It is a very mean plant.  It didn't get me thank goodness.

It was hard to leave AZ...but we are settle back in at home and I'm just about caught up from being gone.  Oh, who am I kidding?  There is no such thing these days as being caught up!  There is always a little something that needs done.  But, I probably wouldn't have it any other way.  Good thing I thrive on having a lot of irons in the fire!


And now we are back to real life...I guess they didn't want my beautiful 5 ft tall vase (pronouced voss since it was one of the few elegant things I have I mean had in our house) there anymore...

Faith is the key to all miracles...

Words I've clung to at times in my life.  Maybe you need to hear them today.


Let's see, week in review, actually 2 weeks in review.  What have the Jones' been up to.  Well, this Jones went to a nice women's conference last weekend, TOFW, Deseret Book's Time Out For Women.  It is pretty cool, my mother-in-law, Jami & sister-in-law, Amanda went.  Its inspirational speakers and LDS music performers.  What did I learn?  1.  That so many others face such bigger challenges in this life than me 2.  That being a mom is a big job and everyone gets overwhelmed with it at times  3.  Not all blessings come in this life.  4.  Jesus doesn't care how many trophies we win, don't be too competitive over things that don't matter.  I recommend going to one of their tours if you haven't.  They are all across the country now.

I fought the vacuum and the vacuum won.  So, I had half the house done, and the belt broke.  Of course, I couldn't get the new belt on.  I'm sitting on the floor, cussing at the vacuum, both kids right there "helping".  Taya stands up and turns around and puts her little arms around me and pats my back, like 'mama, its ok'.  So, dang cute!  It was so precious, it was a neat mommy moment that she is getting big enough to comfort me.  Funny, the belt went right on after that!  (No, the rest of house isn't vacuumed yet, and now I need to start over again!)

Coby is still freezing out of town in Wyoming.  I'm sure I wouldn't have lasted.  -50 below.  I mean really?  Who can work in temperatures like that?  He's tough is all I can say.  Here we come Arizona!

I've been quite busy with my work these past couple weeks.  Makes the cold winter days go by fassstttt!

As I write this my kids just ran into the room, Teague chasing Taya because she has a toy he wants.  Yes, they are both screaming, yes he tackles her to the ground, yes, I better go!

New Stuff Fun Stuff

Sometimes don't think its easy too be too serious about life?  I mean, its so easy to NOT be carefree & fun when you are 35 (middle aged for some), with kids, a mortgage and a constant nag of making your money stretch far enough, working enough hours, cleaning the house enough, it goes on and on.  Its like, one day you wake up and realize your not FUN anymore.  You are responsible.  You are pulled together.  You are caught up.  But, you aren't...fun.  I've been there, I am there, sometimes I wonder where the heck "I" went.  I guess I've just got too caught up in the serious stuff and need to sometimes just relax and be fun.  I used to be fun, I just feel like I'm in that middle-aged funk that is easy to get trapped in.  But, I'm going to work to NOT stay stuck in it.  I think its really more a matter of perception than anything.  Change your perception, change your attitude.  We'll see how it goes...

Anyways, enough of that.  Things we are practicing and learning:



Brushing the toofie's



                                                                           



"petting" the kitty





Climbing on any and everything...



 But, sometimes things just stop us right in our tracks...

 Like Elmo, or a groovin' song on the tv.  Sometimes you stop everything to watch, or do a little dance.  And, after a full day of fun, its nice to go fishin' in the tub for a little r & r and get ready for a good night's rest...

They seem to know how to have fun, maybe they are a good example to follow!

The Sun Shineth

Oh, its so warm and nice today, I was able to take to kiddies outside for a 4-wheeler ride and some puddle jumping.  JANUARY THAW!  Then they were ready for a warm milk and a nap.  They are so happy!

This week Coby is working out of town in Wyoming, and is NOT happy about it.  We hope its only a week or two.

I got a kick out of Taya at church yesterday.  Coby had her in Priesthood and she took off and found her way down the hallways to the Relief Society room to find me, she just comes in and sits down and starts playing by me and Teague.  She is smart and not scared to be alone.  She knows what she wants to do and heads that direction.  At church, its ok, at the mall, not so good.  Grandma South can't believe how INDEPENDENT she is.  Teague is good to stay close.  Taya, she doesn't need anyone with her!

Saturday was fun, we went to a little bull dogging jackpot and then lunch afterward at the Dude Ranch.  If you've been to Malad, you've probably ate at the famous Dude Ranch.  I think the last time I'd ate there was before Coby and I were married.  I remember going with his family one day.

Its Grammy Jami's BIRTHDAY today.  The significance is this day, 17th, its her day, Coby's day, and the twins day.

MEMORY LANE...I strolled down it this morning cleaning my files out for the year.  I came across a file of momento's, probably junk to anyone else, but special to me.  Things like a copy of the talk Joell & I gave at our Grandpa Sorensen's funeral, birthday cards from my mom & mother-in-law, Valentine's day cards from Coby, some magazines with articles or pictures of us rodeoing and obituaries or funeral programs of people I was once close with.  I hate to say that I have forgot so much about those that are gone.  Its sad that things leave our mind, its good to have things to trigger those memories again.  I probably need to write things down about my dad, that I still remember, so I can teach my kids about him.  There's already so much I've forgotten.  I forgot Grandpa Sorensen liked pineapple shakes and always said, come agane (the way he said 'again' sounded like a-gain) when you'd leave.  And, towards the end of their lives together I walked in on him and grandma sitting in their jazzies watching tv together holding hands.  I forgot until I read my talk how that affected me, seeing how tenderly they loved one another.  Its said too often, but TIME goes by so fast.  That would have been nearly 10 years ago...

1.11.11

PROFOUND...The first week of January...so grey.  Spring will be here before we know it, so I'm trying to enjoy this hard season.  Hard, because its cold and dark.   You don't move as fast, cars are cold when you start them, chores take longer, kids can't go outside.  My windows have ice on them, the INSIDE.  I miss being outside in the dust and dirt.  I'm thankful to get to stay inside a lot.  Unfortunately for Coby he's outside with work a lot.  Good thing he likes the cold.

VISIT...my mom flew up for the week to see us.  We visited family & friends in SF, and did a lot of shopping and lunch.

Teague...is a bookworm. Seriously into books.  They are his favorite toy.  WRECK...at Hobby Lobby he baled out of the shopping cart when we got back out to the truck.  I barely caught him before he hit.  He still got a little scratch and a little fat lip.

Taylee...likes to play a GAME where she covers her ears and I talk with no sound because she can't hear me with her ears covered, then when she uncovers them, she can hear the talking.  You probably have to be there.  I have no idea where she figured it out.

WORDS we say...a lot...ut-oh (self-explanatory in every fashion), mmmmm (when eating something), puppy (refers to cows too), dink (drink), mo, (more), kitty (they see them out the sliding door).

1-1-11 Its A New Year

Its a new year, and I'm making a resolution to get back to blogging, or as you see from my new title JOURNALING. They say you should keep a journal for many reasons, its cathartic (yes, I had to spell check this), it preserves your history (many generations from now my great-great grandkids might want to know what I was thinking), it organizes your thoughts (very helpful), and its something to do during the long, boring winter months.

RIGHT NOW...its soooo cold and snowy, I'm caught up on work & most of the house work, and I'm working on this while the babies sleep.

THE BABIES....aren't really babies anymore. They grow too dang fast. They are little people that do the funniest things. They make messes. They laugh at the silliest stuff. They touch stuff they shouldn't they look at me and say 'no no no'. Those words echo through our house on a regular basis. They take 2 naps a day and sleep 12 hours at night. People think they are tall for their age. They are getting a lot of teeth but they don't have problems with it.

2010...is history. It was a good year. It was filled with parenting and that is a blessing to have in our lives. Lewis died, I'm still super sad over it. We had a garden, a lot of stuff didn't grow and it was pretty weedy. We rode a lot this fall and bought a dun horse that we both really like. One of my best friends got pregnant after being told she couldn't. We bought the kiddies too much stuff for Christmas and vowed to not spend so much next year. We took a lot of rodeo trips but didn't go with each other very much. We had a good year financially and feel blessed since so many around us didn't. We remodeled the kitchen and did a lot of landscaping in the yard. It makes us like our home a lot. We settled into Tremonton, or should I say I settled into Tremonton. I turned 35. The babies turned 1. Coby turned grey. Just a little. We went to church. We sold a couple horses we didn't like. I lost the baby weight. Coby got a new job. Twice. We made new friends. We decided to keep driving the same car and truck. I bottle fed kittens. And now its on to the adventures of 2011...