Jones Family Scoop

Feel it, Shelby!

2012-01-21T15:31:00.001-08:00

Shelby definitely "feels" the music. Stacy and I could laugh all night at how much this kid loves music and loves to dance. At the end you'll find 2 recent videos that cracked us up, but to start, I thought I'd remind you just how long this kid has been showing us his moves.....

Elmo was one of his first inspirations. I laughed so hard watching this one yesterday that I couldn't stop the tears from flowing. Stacy had to ask if I was going to be alright. I just thought it was the funniest thing ever!

Last Christmas on the 11th day, we created "11 Shelby Dance Moves"

This year's it's about Flo Ryda's "Low" and a little fun dancing in skates. Hope they make you smile as much as they do us.

TDLC's 2011 Christmas Program

2012-01-15T16:11:00.000-08:00

TDLC put on another successful Christmas program. I cracked up at this first pic. Shelby came on stage and was freaked out by the gentleman playing Joseph. LOL...."God made the animals a lot like me....a lot like me....."
So cute.

All the classes came together at the end and sang a few songs, including "We wish you a merry Christmas"

Jakie on left and Nicholas on right. You know both of them well from previous blogs. :-> I love ALL these kids!!!! And thank goodness of the amazing program we have.

You did great, Shelby! We're proud of you.The Grimm's came to watch Shelby. Everyone was inviting family and Shelby asked if he could invite the Grimm's. :-> When ya move away from home, you build a 'family' around you.

Thanks, Hollie, Aaron & Chaila for coming!
Of course no TDLC blog would be complete without Shelby and his ladies...

Shelby and Gianna
Shelby and Alex
His buddy Carson, looking sharp!
Afterwards we all went for frozen yogurt. Lots of laughs with this crew!
What a fun holiday experience.

Decorating the Christmas Tree

2012-01-14T16:26:00.000-08:00

For Christmas 2011 we realized we'd spent a few years creating our own family Xmas traditions. First, in tree decorating, we each chose our first ornament to place on the tree. Shelby chose his pirate ornament (of course) that Tehya had given him last year.Stacy chose his childhood favorite...ET that Tesa had passed on to us a few years back.
Gotta love this awful Santa tie Stacy and I bought at Goodwill one year as a joke.
My turn, and Tesa wins again. My favorite is my wine ornament. Bottles, glasses, etc.
My idea of a joyful holiday.
Time to put the start on!
All pooped out. So sweet when I checked on him at naptime, that I just had tosnap the pic.

Snow in Livermore!....or ice

2012-01-14T08:58:00.000-08:00

We were excited to spend some weekend time with Janea. We met up for brunch at First St Alehouse and it was a fabulous buffet. Then, we surprised Shelby with the snow area downtown. We was excited at first...
But less than 5 minutes later, he walked up to us and said, "Hey, you guys lied! This isn't snow. It's a bunch of ice." We couldn't convince him to stay and play. That ended that idea.
All out of the gear and back to just enjoying Janea time.

For those that don't recall, Janea used to be the Assistant Director at Shelby's daycare when we first moved here. She quickly became our go-to babysitter for time away from Shelby. They've built a fun, loving bond that holds tons of fun memories. Janea moved out of state for a good while and we missed her greatly. We were soooo happy when she moved back! Though she didn't go back to the daycare. Now, she's moved to Sacramento and has an awesome job. She's an hour and a half away, so when she comes to visit on occasional weekends we jump at snagging time on her calendar.
It was too cold, so we hopped into a coffee shop to play mind puzzle games on the ipad.
These two were hilarious trying to figure out how to accomplish each level.
Ready for your next visit, 'Nea!

December Moments 2011

2012-01-01T09:00:00.001-08:00

Shelby is still sticking to karate! In fact, he has decided to have a karate party featuring Kung Fu Panda. Thank goodness...because his other choice was ChuckECheese.

We had belt promotion and he's a proud brown belt! This is the last white/color belt and it's on to the big leagues. He loves karate, but tends to get nervous when sparing night comes and he gets all geared up to get his butt kicked. He's so small!
Mr. Johnson & Mr. HernandezMr. Balicer had surgery and was chair bound.Another weekend Shelby and I attended his friend, Grant's, birthday party at the local bowling alley. Shelby bowled great!!!! Granddad would be so proud. He had a strike and even picked up a spare....granted, bumpers were up.Shelby & KyleWe also spent one sunny afternoon at the park. The weather was amazing, and we just had to get outside! Shelby has been playing baseball with this little bat and wants only to hit the orange frog from his Froggio game. We even took Abby to get her out and about. Poor baby, she just sleeps all day, but that day she was out and investigating the world, one sniff at a time.Just this past week we had a play date with Nicholas. He has wii games and they were zoned in, playing Mario Brothers. Nicole and I enjoyed a few mimosas.... ;->At one point Shelby knocked Nicholas in the mouth with his hand remote and brought blood. Nicole had to change shirts it got so bad on her shoulder.Then, later that night we all went to dinner at The Lamarre's. Jakie and Shelby were so excited to run around and be crazy. Kim made a fabulous dinner, so Stacy and I were happy to chill. Dave got the UFC fight on tv so there was something for everyone that night...Jakie's lil sis, Allison

Family Photos unveiled!

2011-12-27T17:34:00.001-08:00

My friend, Brent, took our family photos this year at Baker Beach. We wanted something to signify our life in Cali at this stage. Last year we did Napa, so this year we thought, "what better than the Golden Gate bridge behind us!!!"

Brent did an awesome job! I was soooo excited! And Shelby had an absolute blast running on the beach.
Our kid is such a clown, always being goofy to make those around him smile.I just love that he captured this moment! The sweetest...When we were in Singapore, Camille taught us to write the location of the beach we're at and the year to document our trips. FUN! We decided to do the same here.

Thanksgiving at TDLC

2011-12-25T17:15:00.000-08:00

Trinity is something we are quite grateful for. I was reminded of this when Hollie, Chaila & Aaron came to watch the Christmas program and saw the slideshow with the events throughout the year. Hollie leaned over and said, "Wow! Your daycare does a lot of stuff for the kids. This is great!" Thanks for the reminder to be soooo grateful for the wonderful people and program that care for our son every day. :->

Here's the precious little Thanksgiving feast Stacy and I got to participate in.
The kids all created their Indian hats & names. Shelby chose "golden arrow" for the color of his hair and being fast like an arrow flying through the sky.Ms. Mary is an awesome story teller! I don't know if you can see the board details behind her, but the kids count the days they've been in the Elephant class and learn about "bundles" when they get a set of 5. They also have designated weekly helpers to stand up and lead the pledge of allegiance, the line to go out, the calendar to learn days of the week, the weather to represent what they see outside, etc.Shelby and Nicholas "Running Dragon"

They put on the most precious program! You'll see that Shelby clearly keeps everyone accountable for the agenda. Wow, my kid or what....

The table was decorated with all kinds of great crafts they'd worked on all week.We're so thankful for our life here in California and all the wonderful friends we've made. I can't believe this may have been our last Thanksgiving here..... wow

Urbanathalon: Stacy's latest accomplishment

2011-12-25T16:56:00.000-08:00

Mid-November, Stacy competed in the Men's Health Urbanathalon in San Francisco.

It was a 10 mile obstacle course with 8-10 obstacles in the city, including a hike up the bleachers at the Giants stadium and scaling 3 taxi cabs. All that in addition to the natural killer hills!

We made a weekend out of the deal, staying at a hotel, enjoying dinner at the Rainforest Cafe (a first for all 3 of us!) and getting our fam photos taken in front of Golden Gate Bridge (to follow).

He did an amazing job! So much ahead of our expected schedule, that Shelby and I missed his finish on our 2 mile hike from the hotel to the finishline. Almost 1 mile in, Shelby refused to walk up any more hills and I later swore I deserved a metal too, for carrying my son on my back for over a mile...lol

Stacy continues to accomplish one challenge after another and we proudly support his efforts.

November Moments

2011-12-25T15:38:00.000-08:00

November brought several weekends of enjoying relaxing time at home, working in the yard, etc. Stacy and Shelby worked to trim the front yard tree a bit.And then I caught Stacy teaching his son BAD HABITS for tree trimming...

Rule #1: ALWAYS use a ladder.
Rule #2: Use the right tool for the job. If you need to cut a branch, use a saw.
Do not bounce up and down hoping your body weight will eventually crack the branch.
Rule #3: Smile while you work. :->
One lazy morning that was a rest day for Stacy's work out (Shelby and I love when these fall on a weekend morning and he's not teaching class), Shelby decided we were going to make breakfast in bed.
He was very particular about whether Daddy wanted the peanut butter on the bottom or the jelly on the bottom.
Another weekend I found Shelby sitting WAYYYYY too close to the TV (grrrrrr....) with his blanket on his head. I couldn't figure out if he was Rambo or some sort of bride! LOL

We spent Thanksgiving Day with "Grandma Jeannie" and "Grandpa Craig". Of course Aaron "Chocolate Cake", Hollie, Chaila and Lil A were all there as well, but I totally indulged in dinner and fell short of photo time....my bad. At least we got the below. So cute...

Another fun cuddle time with the ipad.
And, I did make effort to redeem myself this month! For those that hadn't heard the story:

This year when Stacy went hunting in Wyoming, I decided to be a Martha Stewart-type Mommy. I got up early before work/school and started making pumpkin muffins. I still don't know exactly what happened, as I set the timer to less than the recommended time and it hadn't even gone off yet, when the house alarm started SCREAMING! Because it hadn't been long, my heart fell as all I could think was 'intruder'. I soon realized it was the fire alarm and did all I could to try to shut it up! Poor Shelby was awoken to the chaos and was hollering for comfort I couldn't give him as I tried to solve the problem. It was a complete catastrophe and the sound of our house alarm has haunted my nightmares since. I hate it.

That night when I asked Shelby what he wanted for dinner he replied mini corn dogs. I reminded him those required the oven and he started frantically promising that he LOVED them completely frozen. Please don't turn on the oven, Mom!

How traumatized my son is.. So, one morning I redeemed myself with from scratch, baked in the oven with no house alarm apple cinnamon muffins.
And speaking of cooking, Shelby loves putting on his Spiderman apron from Tehya and helping out his "cookerman" dad. :->

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-25T10:17:00.001-08:00

Merry Christmas to all of you! We hope your day is as magical as ours has been...

Love you all,

Stacy, Christina & Shelby

Halloween Ninja

2011-12-24T16:55:00.000-08:00

Nonna wasn't able to make costumes this year, but she sent Shelby $ so he could pick out whatever he wanted. He was sooo excited to get a Ninja costume! Thanks, Nonna! :->

Shelby and his girls....Alex (left) and Gianna (middle). These 3 are a complete Jerry Springer Drama show. Example told to me from one of the teachers:

Alex: Gianna, you're not marrying Shelby, I'm marrying Shelby!

Gianna: No you're not, Alex, I am!

Alex: Well, then I'm not coming to ya'lls wedding!

His buddy, Kyle.
Another bud, Silas. Stacy saw Matthew in the hardware store on Saturday and asked what kind of home repair he was doing. He told him it was for Silas' costume. How awesome is this!
Everybody loves a parade...
Proud Mommies! Left to Right: Kim (Jakie's mom), Angela (Carson's mom), Carol (Isaiah's mom) and me (Shelby's mom) :->
Shelby & Carson
Ms. Debbie, Student Worker. Ms Mary said the other day Ms. Debbie showed up and Shelby said, "Are you going to let her play with us today!" Feedback that she'd been assigned too many administrative tasks...lol
Brown Elephant Class teacher, Ms. Mary

Shelby, Isaiah and Nicholas

Shelby instigates the fight...chose Gianna to present the flower to.

Ummm...Strawberry Shortcake?
Trick or Treating at the Williams' that night
Angela, me & Staci (Gianna's mom) had to get in on some of the fun and convince the kids it wasn't as scary as it seemed.
This guy cracked us up with his traveling liquor cabinetWhat a fun night and a cute crew!!!
Every man wants to serenade his girl with lovely music...

GG Weekend 2011 - Napa Valley

2011-12-18T21:02:00.000-08:00

GG's hit Napa in October. Our annual GG Weekend was most memorable! My girls came to me and enjoyed a weekend here in my paradise. It was so special...and so much fun to share my joy with my beautiful, loving girls.

Thursday night I picked up Jamie & Julie at SFO. Friday we picked up Cantrell & Laurie at Oakland...and then it was off to Napa to kick off the weekend with lunch, cocktails and LAUGHS!

Jamie flew from Virginia, where she resides w/hubby Eric & 2 boys Peyton & Lucas

Julie flew in from Dallas, where she resides w/hubby Billy & 2 boys Jackson & Harrison

Cantrell flew in from Austin where she resides w/hubby Jeremy & son Tatum

Laurie flew in from Austin where she resides w/hubby Jonathon & son Dominic

All mothers of boys! 5 random friends came together in college only to go out and raise 7 boys! I'm sure there's still a chance for a girl in there somewhere. Can you imagine "family" reunions then! Poor little thing.

After shopping at one of my favorite places! Betty's BoutiqueFriday night my friend, Brent Olsen, came out to take our photos. It was the first year in the 9 years we've all been getting together that I didn't have to pull some crazy self-timer tricks. It was so much fun!

What an awesome job Brent did!Verizon bars... not on purpose, btw, so I cracked up when I processed the photo.
We hired a driver and started our tasting day at Mumm Napa. It was absolutely gorgeous!

The first pour...
I had so much fun w/pics here...
Off to Round Pond. This was Julie's fav from a prior trip to Napa w/her hubby. It was also amazing! We could not have asked for a more beautiful day, either, the weather was heavenly!
After lunch we tried Cliff Lede where an acquaintance from a party works. It was equally lovely.
You'll soon find a pattern of Jamie's jumping for joy... (you crack me up, James!)
This was hysterical! Cantrell was skyping on her phone with hubby & baby when we left. We were all too busy cooing with Tatum to pay attention to anything else. Then, we were well down the road on to the next place before Laurie realized Cantrell was casually sipping on her glass of wine still! OMG!
Clos Pegase...this place came recommended by our waitor at Mumm Napa, so we made it our final stop for the day.
It was just as gorgeous and we loved sitting outside, relaxing and enjoying yet more laughs....
And another place for me to get camera happy...LOL...it's all about joy...
Work it girls!
After a little freshening up we were off to downtown for a lovely dinner.
She's like the energizer bunny, I swear...
LOL....this one cracks me up! It's in front of Oakland airport about to drop off Laurie & Cantrell on Sunday. :-< I sure hated the goodbyes!
Luckily I had an afternoon in San Fran with Julie & Jamie before I had to officially mend the hole in my heart that ached...
We enjoyed lunch at Pier 23 Cafe. The blue cheese burger was to die for!!!!!!
That's it, folks. One AMAZING, UNFORGETTABLE weekend with some of the strongest women I've ever met. Each inspire me in so many different ways, and together we make one hell of a crew! I love you, GG's!!!!! I can't wait till next year's adventure!

Pumpkin Patch 2011

2011-12-10T14:33:00.000-08:00

Another fun school field trip to the Pumpkin Patch! Shelby and Kyle getting so big...
This is Allison, Jakie's little sister. Isn't she just a doll!

Jakie & Shelby help Kyle attack his daddy, Kurt. All the dad's get regularly ganged up on when they come visit the kids at school or on field trips. They're all such troopers about it, too.
Isaiah was not feeling the photo opp...lol. We miss him! Carol, Jeff & Isaiah moved down south to LA for Jeff's work. :-<
I love getting to be a chaperone every year.
Nicholas was not playing...he was ready to kick my tail....hahaha
Shelby & Carson
Brown Elephants Class
With their fearless leader, Ms Mary.
Shelby and his original girlfriend, Alex.
Heavy pumpkin
Shelby and Sean
Carol & Isaiah
Bentley, Ms Stacey and pumpkin in belly...lol
Shelby and current girlfriend, Gianna
Shelby and Silas
Crazy kids
Shelby and Sully
Another fun year at the pumpkin patch!

October Moments

2011-12-10T08:01:00.001-08:00

Shelby informed us one day, "Do you guys know another good work for Fall?" "What's that, Buddy?' "Autumn. Not like Adam...Auuuutum." :->

Gotta love Autumn!

October provided many fun fall moments...Stacy was with Mason in Wyoming one weekend and Shelby and I had a busy time. Cuddling w/Abby....

Then a fun day with the Grimm's for Chaila's soccer game in the morning and Aaron's football game in the afternoon.
Shelby was hanging all over Grandpa Craig. He tends to attach himself to a big guy when he misses Daddy. Craig was happy to play the part with his new little buddy.
Tough guys...We love the Grimm's!
The next day Mommy & Shelby spent time working in the yard and Shelby was so excited to show off how high he can swing himself these days.
Later in the month, we all got to go meet the new Robinson twins!!!!
Chase is a proud big brother, and happy to share the wealth with his friend, Shelby.
Samantha and Sophia. Too cute! These babies sure are survivors! They went through a very rough beginning, which means Todd & Natalie are big survivors in my book. How difficult to watch it be so touch and go with your precious little babies. We're so glad the Robinson family is recovering so well!

Happy Thanksgiving!

2011-11-25T11:06:00.000-08:00

I know I haven't even blogged Halloween photos yet, but wanted to get up the Thanksgiving Day Feast video we took Wednesday at Shelby's school. Shelby is sure an agenda driver, as you hear him keep the class on track for what's to come next.

Thanksgiving Video Click Here

Grammy & Grandpa's visit

2011-11-23T19:54:00.000-08:00

Grammy & Grandpa came to visit!Shelby couldn't wait to climb all over Grandpa Dino. Good morning!We went to downtown Livermore for lunch. They were having the Halloween Carnival. Shelby and Grandpa got their pic with Flynn Rider and Rapunzel (I have no idea how to spell either one of those) from Tangled.Grammy & Shelby at lunch. We ate at Dimitri's where we had the perfect view of the festivities in the open park area in front of us. Shelby enjoyed a magic show from the fairy. He got picked to be a helper.We saw Riley there. Yeah for neighbors!We ran into Alex aka Strawberry Shortcake.Shelby saw the fairy later and had to tell her how she just blew his mind with those tricks.
That evening we all went across the street to the George's for the pumpkin carving party.Little MerrittCousin Emma RoseJetters Hey, Stacy, give me that...
Sheesh...talk about twins
Me & Elaine...cheese!
EwwwGrandpa Dino let Shelby pick out a pattern to carve. Of course he picked a master level, elaborate witch scene. Grammy had to help instruct. Grandpa wasn't very appreciative of the direction...lolStacy was very quiet and wouldn't let anyone in on what he was creating.Precious preggo Chely! Mmmm...dirt & worms!Poor Grandpa, after all that work, Shelby informed him it was a present for Chely!Shelby asked me to make a pirate. I didn't have a pattern, so I did what I could.Janine's a vampire! And Shelby too? AUGH!Crazy kids!Anyone guess which one is Stacy's?....

The Wrangler rear end with the hand grabbing it. Gee, appropriate....lol
Grammy bought us Tiddly Winks! We all had a good time playing.Their last night there, we all enjoyed roasting marshmellows outside in the fire pit.We miss you guys!!!! Thanks for a fun trip!

Belt Promotion: RED BELT!

2011-11-23T18:48:00.000-08:00

Shelby was recently promoted to a Red Belt!But first he had to prove his skills.They matched them up with a teenager and let them have it. Too cute. Shelby was excited to get Mr. Johnson.
Mr. Rogers cheered him on.Mr. Ballecer had all the kids turn to their parents and wave. Hi, Shelby!Shelby & his buddy, Tyler. Tyler just graduated from Tiny Tiger to the Black Belt Club. Shelby's not too far behind.
Mr. Johnson & Mr. Hernandez I'm always amazed at how much patience and compassion these young kids have with the little ones. Shelby truly looks up to them, and I'm grateful for such good role models for him.Ms. AriMr. Ballecer Tyler, his brother Noah & Shelby. They thought they were funny putting their labels with their name and rank creatively on their foreheads. Nice...We're proud of you, Shelby! Keep up the good work!

October...fall, pumpkins and sassy pants

2011-11-20T21:36:00.001-08:00

October brings frisky weather and frisky attitudes!

Ciotka, Uncle Shae, MAWJ & Trace sent him this wayyy cool Halloween shirt and he wanted his hair in a mohawk....it was all downhill from there...hehehe

It took a little convincing, but the sweet child peaked back out.Back to hot stuff.
About time we found something to put out that fire!

September Moments

2011-11-20T10:24:00.000-08:00

A few random pics from September.

Shelby & Jett

The George's are selling their home and moving. Though it will be close by, it won't be the same. I can't imagine living here for almost a year without them across the street! We all moved in about the same time. Shelby was 8 months and Jett was 6 months old! These boys are practically brothers the way they love and fight each other, depending on their mood.
Clearly a love day :->Shelby learned how to make suds faces in the tub.
Ho Ho Ho, Merry Christmas everyone.

Brown Elephant Class

2011-11-19T12:20:00.000-08:00

Shelby's teacher is Ms Mary in the top right. You may recognize some of his friends throughout the years. But there are several new kids. They had to divide Shelby's Panda room into two groups by an age cutoff date. New kids came in and those that were in the younger half of the Elephants last year remained. Ms Mary definitely has her hands full!

Playdate with Carson

2011-11-18T14:53:00.000-08:00

When we were with the Dutton's going to San Fran, Stacy started yelling, "HEY!" out the window at somebody. I thought, oh no, road rage. But it was the Williams family! They were headed to Fisherman's Wharf with friends as well. The boys wanted to see each other so we met up.They were so cute, Angela and I arranged an upcoming playdate for them at our house.The boys had a blast on the playground. They look so much alike people often mix them up at school. :->And Stacy gave them an orange off our tree.A little sour?I called it Ratatouille playdate. We made little rat pizzas. Poor Carson said, "I really don't eat rats" with a horrified look, when I told him what was for lunch. LOL!But they soon got the picture.Hey, your rat won't have hair if you eat it all, Shelbster.Most of the components got removed by the boys before eating just tomato sauce & cheese.Shelby still loves his black olives, though.Thanks for coming to play with us, Carson! Hope you had as much fun as we did.

MAA Karate Party

2011-11-18T14:34:00.001-08:00

Each summer Shelby's karate brings together MAA groups from several near towns for one huge party! There's lots of food, games and water play.Shelby & Mr. Hernandez Ms. Alex Ms. Ari Mr. Johnson Ms. Mommy...ha
Mr. Portias Mr. RogersMr. Baliser...the sensei of the Livermore branch. And Stacy's new teacher for Krav Maga classes and occasional buddy for drinks.

Duttons visit for Labor Day

2011-11-18T10:17:00.000-08:00

Mason, Laura & Kampton made the loooong drive from Salt Lake City to visit us for Labor Day! We had so much fun, especially Shelby and Kampton.We actually started the weekend at Stacy's crossfit gym. Stacy talked Mason into checking it out.

Having fun yet?Laura and I popped by with the kids to take some pics. The kids decided they needed to work out like daddy.Shelby was also excited to see his buddies. Eric is always willing to take some time out to give Shelby attention, and Shelby just adores him. So sweet.Hey there, Coach Jones.
Still having fun...LOL...
Eric, Stacy & Chris. Chris is another of Shelby's favs! Of course we've always known Stacy's good at picking great friends. Perfect reminder with Mason and his family in town.
Hey Kam, watch what these things are for.

I'm not thinking that looks right, Shelby.
More like this?Laura grabbed a hoola hoop and showed the kids how to get it done!Stacy's turn to workout.On to lunch...after all, what's the point in working out if you can't celebrate yourself.

Mason chose a rather precious looking drink to balance back out all that manly working out he had done. Ha
Speaking of precious! I'm just sad my camera lens had clearly fogged up a bit.Playing in the park area while waiting for our food.
Back home to enjoy the afternoon.Gee, who's mastered the "mini me" concept more? It's a tie! Those are some handsome boys, there.Bathtime. They're actually not kissing, just being silly.

After an awesome dinner by Mr. Jones, we all rested well.

The next day it was off to Fisherman's Wharf for our San Fran adventure.

Proof Laura and I were there that weekend...hahaha

I love this one.
Long time buds.
Future plumber...
Mason Street!
Arrrr Matey!Kam slept in the stroller on the walk to Ghirardelli Square. When he awoke he had to get in on some of the Ghirardelli ice cream we were enjoying.Just for the record, I'm not happy about barely getting a nap, but I'm gonna eat this ice cream to show you guys a lesson.
Another non napper started to reach exhaustion. The group photo at the top of this blog was taken as he dozed off in my arms.Next morning before the Duttons got on the road. Kam loved the pj's Shelby outgrew and passed down. Ciotka, they're still going strong!Buds, just like they're daddies. I gotta say, these are two darn cute kids!One last wrestle with Stacy before the drive.
To distract Shelby from the sadness of everyone leaving, Stacy tossed him in the air. The goal was to get him laughing.
Yeah....didn't work. Just scared the crap out of Shelby. "Daddy, don't throw me that high again!"

Thanks to the Duttons for making the drive. It was soooo wonderful to spend quality time with you all again! We'll be back your way next year.

Tehya's visit to Yosemite

2011-11-07T21:19:00.000-08:00

When Tehya brought the Shelbster back, we all headed to Yosemite. This is the second time, Stacy, Shelby and I have been and it took my breath away all over again. It is humbling to stand in the presence of such phenomenal beauty So cute!
Shelby and I ventured down below to wade in the water (cold water) like lots of other people are. Can you see Tehya & Daddy waving down to us?Tesa's boot broke! It was clearly on it's last adventure.
Not to worry, we may have moved to Cali, but we're still born and bred Texans that know how to fix thangs. LOL
Off to Bridal Veil Falls
I love how casual this shot is.
Told ya....breathtaking!
Shelby is so mad in the next few pics. We hiked a ways up and stopped for pictures. He was extremely upset that we weren't hiking up to the actual water fall! Wow....really you little dare devil!
Tehya and Mommy were on board with what we were supposed to be posing like. Shelby on the other hand....
This is a bit of a where's waldo shot. Can you find Tehya & Shelby?
Shelby wanted to walk across this log that was just over a bed of rushing water.
Day 2: On to South end where the Sequoias are a phenomenon in and of themselves. How does a tree grow soooo big and wide?
Sure wish I could read...
The Grizzly This is the fallen tree. We walked for MILES to get up to this point. Exhausted as can be, late in the day and a 4 yr old with no nap in tow...on the way down we informed the beaten down looking people making the hike "it really is just a fallen tree." Glad we did it and we got some laughs out of the deal, but don't plan to do that one again.

On the way back down, however, I couldn't resist capturing more beauty around us.

Yosemite was AMAZING!

But we had to take Tehya to a nice dinner before she left us to go back to Texas. Everyone was looking nice.

I just love the grins in this pic.
This picture makes me think, wow, one day my own son will tower over me, a strong, accomplished man to be proud of. I know Tesa is proud of both her boys and the lives they've built. :-> What a feeling!
Thanks so much for the time with Shelby in Texas and the time with us in Cali, Tesa! Hurry back!!!! Next trip it's the snow in the mountains or a relaxing weekend in wine country. ;->

Texas: Shelby's time with Tehya

2011-11-07T20:47:00.000-08:00

After I flew back to Cali, Shelby got to spend a few days with Tehya before she brought him back and came to visit. Even breakfast is fun at Tehya's!Then off to Dinosaur World. Shelby told us how much fun he had, and how it was "really, really hot."This one cracks me up!

Thanks for the pics, Tehya!

Texas: Fishing with Granddad

2011-11-07T17:48:00.000-08:00

Before we went to Texas, Shelby was determined that Granddad would take him fishing. On the very last day, just hours before it was time to leave, they finally got their chance.

Eww...not so sure about the squirmy worm.

A couple of bites and the worm was gone, needing to be replaced.And then there it was! Shelby didn't know what to think. Half excited/Half scared
Whoa! It's moving again.
Look, Nonna!
Thanks to Aunt Sandy & Uncle Raoul for an awesome weekend at the lakehouse!

Texas: Party at the Lakehouse

2011-11-06T16:37:00.000-08:00

For Aunt Sandy's birthday, she hosts awesome parties at their lake house. We went last year and were here about the same time, so we got to join this year! Shelby loves freaking my out by being a complete dare devil and riding with the big boys. Hold on tight, Shelbster!Justin and Brandi were pregnant at the time and watching him with the kids, we all commented on what a great Dad he'll be!Britt & Hunter Hunter is Brittany's lil man, and Aunt Sandy's pride and joy. And boy does Hunter adore his Mimi!It was fun to have Uncle Joey's boys around! Matthew, Jacob & Josh. Wow, they've grown up so much! (Matthew & Jacob pictured here)Look what I found, guys Don't be fooled by it's innocent looking decor....that adult beverage was killer. Thanks, Dad!

Still holding on

Brandi & Nonny. Brandi later had her precious boy, Colton.Hey, Jacob, no need for stunts.Shelby attached to Uncle Joey pretty easily.Driving Miss Daisey

After the photo, we booted Shelby off and Sharla & I went on an adventure. Yes, now I want a jet ski.
I think they posed for pics, but don't recall if Mom & Sandy really drove this thing. HahahaMom and Dad did ride with the grandkids, though. How could they say no!Even Raoul got conned into taking the kiddos out.A little Cornhole tournament never hurt anyone. Is that how that's spelled, btw?After the wild and crazy rides, it was time for a sunset pontoon ride.What? Why can't I drive?Sweet lil Hunter
Aunt T's lil manHe's mine, Nonna!
Enjoying the sunset

Texas: Saige's Birthday!

2011-11-06T14:24:00.001-08:00

Happy Birthday Saige! PS...your dad and your Aunt T are complete goofballs.Anybody see the "water week" theme here? You couldn't go more than about 24 hrs without finding some body of water to cool off in! (More to come next.)Everyone played in the pool until it clouded, lightning struck and everyone had to get out. Although it didn't even rain.

Dare devil.

Darryl and my Uncle Joey's youngest boy, Joshua.
Give boys noodles and you get....

Noodle Fights!
Can you even see Saige smiling sweetly for the camera while all this craziness is going on behind her? LOL

CAKE!Umm...why are there bare feet by the cake? Gross.

Something about a rhinosaurous.

Me & Sharla's eldest sister, Gina. She's a hoot!

Aunt T, is my tongue purple?Here's your brain.

Here's your brain on sugar!
This has to be my favorite pic of the entire trip!!!!!!!

After the party, Shelby went home with Nonna & Granddad to start bath time. D took Saige & Dax and Sharla and I went out for a drink. FUN!!!!!

Texas: Water Park Day

2011-11-06T13:12:00.001-08:00

About mid-week we headed to Wichita for the day. Who needs nap time, right? We all watched The Smurfs movie (yes, the kids then wouldn't stop singing the song in their heads....it's obnoxious...hahaha). Then, since it's Texas and crazy hot.....the Water park!
The kids loved all the slides.
So did the big kids!

Who is that hot looking couple!

Lazy river...
While trying to wave, I think Shelby swallowed a mouthful.

The kids spent forever at this really cool obstacle course.

I did it!!!!!Dax was so darn determined...

I think Saige was actually the first to master it.

It was a wonderful day full of fun!

Texas: Date Night for Nonna's Bday

2011-11-06T11:18:00.000-08:00

Darryl and Sharla kept the kids while I took Mom out for her birthday. We went to Johnny Carinos and had a fabulous meal! When we got back to the kids we all hung out and played. They thought Aunt T was crazy. I let them dress me up in all kinds of props then chased them around the house acting out whatever nuttcase character I thought I looked like. After it was over, we were all grins.
Princess Saige

Texas: Chilling out in Olney

2011-11-06T08:36:00.000-08:00

I spent a lot of time with Nonny this year, documenting recipes and taking pics for a family cookbook. Shelby was usually napping when we began and by the end would come to Nonny's to hang out. She had a United States puzzle and he was sooo excited about all the states he could name and had visited.Then we were back out to the farm house for daily chores. Here Shelby was loving the horses....until the baby thought it was a game and nipped at him! He was a hysterical, crying mess and wanted nothing to do with the horses the rest of the trip.
Before we flew out there, Shelby saw a commercial for this cookie maker thing. He called Nonna and asked if she would get it for his visit and they could make cookies together. The next day I had an email with her order confirmation. (spoiled much?)
FYI....this crap looks WAYYYYY easier on the commercial than it is in person.
Shelby learned a new word this year. Nonna said, "that looks like a terd, Shelby."

"What's a terd, Nonna?"

"umm...."

(I intervened) "Shelby, it's a not so nice word for poop." (stink eye to Nonna)

Shelby - "Oh! It's poop!"

So, we decorated it with brown icing and some little yellow chunks of "corn" for Uncle D....HAHAHA
Gee, can you find the terd?
Off to Nonny's for dinner. Wichita Falls crew came over. The kids helped Nonny roll out noodles like Darryl and I did when we were kids. We ate the amazing meal Nonny taught me to cook earlier that day. Then we watched TV and took photos of the kids.
Mr. GQ
Kookie Kids!
Now there's a nice pic. Thanks, kids!
I still can't decide...color or black n white?
Can't get them to sit still for too long.
Sweet Cousins
Back at Nonna & Granddads the boys were allowed to play the guitar that once belonged to Gary Stewart!
Time to wind down before bed. Granddad's lap is always a comfy spot for that.

Helping Nonna with the Horses

2011-11-05T22:20:00.000-07:00

After the fun weekend, it was time to travel back to Olney for the week, and get involved in some chores at the farm house. Shelby was all about feeding the horses.I was taking pics when the baby tried to follow the herd. Instead of going through the open gate, he.......tried to jump the fence.
And it didn't go well. :-<
But he was back up and at 'em.
Shelby is allergic to cat dander so he was careful not to touch Tinkerbell too much.
Nonna, where's the other dogs that used to be here?
Tinkerbell and the horses are hilarious together. Headed home I had to pull over and get this shot.

Texas: Thousand Trails Day 3

2011-11-05T20:20:00.000-07:00

We had family photo time. Notice the gap in the picture? Now I need to work on photoshopping Stacy in so mom can have her updated family photo.
Dad and Grandma. Grandma is suffering from alzheimer's and it was quite disturbing to see how quickly this awful disease can take someone from recognition to confusion.
Great grandmothers
Take 2
Me & my lil Bro
Shelby loves his Aunt Sharla
4 generations
Saying goodbye to grandma the next morning
What a crack up

Texas: Thousand Trails Day 2

2011-10-16T09:46:00.001-07:00

It was soooo hot, and Shelby was showing it on his face.Sure smiles for Aunt Sharla though!

Push us higher, Nonna!
Lil monkeys
So typical. Saige couldn't walk around, she had to disturb the boys by plowing through their game.
Look at those determined faces.
Pool time
So sweet Aunt T's babies
Let's calm down in the A/C for a bit...
Uncle D came and told us Nonna found a treasure map in the cabin. The kids were so excited to go on a treasure hunt. D had created little maps and clues.
There was this really great swing in a big random tree.
There's the treasure!
Pretty sure we mentioned to watch for spiders. Saige & Daxton took off running.
So Shelby brought Dax his treasure.
Arrrr....we found treasure mateys!
Saige & Grandma are cuddly

2 Hot Mama's

2011-10-07T08:35:00.000-07:00

I would like to acknowledge an ironic moment. I got my sister-in-law, Harper's comment on the last post: Oh my goodness your brother's family is GORGEOUS! Look at all those curls and Sharla is just beautiful! Jealous of all that thick hair!

And what's so funny to me is what I tell people, like at work when they see my family photos. "I have the two most GORGEOUS sister-in-laws!" And everyone oooh's and aaah's over all the kids pics: Saige & Dax and MaryAnn & Trace. For a while people I didn't know well would say "Wow, how many kids do you have, 5!" Nope....just one, but they're all my babies, so I display them just as prominently!

Thanks for the sweet comment, Harper. But today I'd like to honor BOTH of my HOT MAMA, SUPER SEXY, CRAZY TALENTED, AMAZING MOM sister-in-laws!

Love you guys.

Texas: Thousand Trails Day 1

2011-09-26T20:23:00.001-07:00

When we were kids, we used to camp at Thousand Trails. So Mom & Dad decided to take the family there while they had their grandkids together. We had a blast!

Saige brought her old bike, so Shelby could join them in riding. He wasn't thrilled with the pink bike, but quickly got over it.
As soon as the riding competition with Saige got tough, Shelby would just turn around and go the opposite direction as if she was the one who didn't know what was up. What a little toot.
Look at that big girl bike! Hi, Saige"E"-poo!
You have a big girl bike too, Aunt Sharla!
My precious little Dax... I got to really see his personality this year and he just won me over.
Speed demon.
It was so hot the fans with water were essential.
I have no idea. They're probably poisonous....have fun kids!
We promised the kids night swimming. PARTY!
Time to get the chlorine off. These kids should have been exhausted, but they were still soooo fired up I think they chattered on till almost midnight!
Bedtime stories with Aunt Sharla.

Texas: Helping Nonna

2011-09-26T06:36:00.000-07:00

It was sooo hot in Olney! 112 three days in a row. And the drought was out of control. Shelby worked hard to make sure he was a good helper for Nonna.

Yes, he's doing what you think...I love the sweet garden stones Saige & Daxton made some time ago.
He was careful not to miss a thing.TONS more Texas photos to come!

Sean's Bday & After party with Gianna

2011-09-18T22:01:00.000-07:00

Earlier this summer we attended Sean's birthday party. Then, Gianna & Staci came back to the house with us for an after party.

The Texas Jones' were having their annual reunion, so we skyped with them, and Shelby introduced Gianna to everyone as, "this is my girlfriend, Gianna" with his arm proudly wrapped around her. CUTE!
Gianna had never seen the Lion King on DVD, so we watched and the kids danced.
Later we went out and took advantage of the beautiful day to play in the hammock.
Goofy kids.
Don't copy him, G.
So cute!
Sean's party! It was at a park and the kids had a blast running around, splashing through water, climbing on play structures, etc.
Gianna and Shelby were drawn to Sean's friend reading some of his new books. Yeah for storytime.
Gotta love summer days.

Blue October Concert

2011-09-17T14:03:00.000-07:00

Yet another year in which we make it to my favorite concert ever! Blue October!!!! As you may recall, I've been a Blue fan for 12 years now. Stacy's hit his decade mark. Justin is still good enough to come out after the concert and personally thank his fans, sign autographs and take pics with us.

We always get extra love when we tell him we've watched him perform back at Shadow Canyon (College Station)! He's so gracious for our years of dedicated love for Blue. :-> And no, those are not tears in my eyes, the flash somehow blurred in my eyeballs. Seriously. Though I did actually tear when they first came out (see video below) and I felt that same old rush of my happy place!

We love you, Blue!

Uncle D's Visit

2011-09-11T20:43:00.000-07:00

After we returned from Singapore, I had the rest of my bday gift (yes, from May) to look foward to! Stacy flew my "little" brother out to spend the weekend with me. I picked him up from the airport and we headed to pick up Shelby from school. Uncle D was a complete celebrity as Shelby whisked past Mommy straight into Uncle D's arms. When we got home Shelby wanted to tear him up a bit and recruited some help from Jett.
Umm...I don't think that's legal, Shelbster.After putting in some quality time with Shelby, it was time for MY weekend! Darryl & I ventured out to Half Moon Bay on Sunday....Saturday below (I put in wrong order)

This plant was so pretty! It was at the precious cafe we ate at with lovely outdoor atmosphere.
We loved the downtown with all its cool colors, textures and nice weather.
This was painted on the back of a little, old school-looking grocery store.
Off to the beach.
Wanna go in? What? You mean the water's cold? Ha! Welcome to No Cal.
On the walk back to the car we took some shots of the beautiful mountains behind this cool barn.
And another cool barn & field. So pretty.
Of course, he can't come visit his sis in Livermore and not enjoy our wineries!
Me & My lil bro
Saturday we went to the city. We started at Fisherman's wharf where we were excited about Sponge Bob...LOL....poor Shelby, I don't even let him watch this show.
Alcatraz
On our walk to the ballgame. This was in Little Italy.
Chinatown.
D liked this really cool fountain...
At the Giants game for some serious fun!
We had the coolest seats and had a blast with the people around us.
D took the camera and ventured out on his own to check out the stadium.
Who's idea was it to let this guy control the camera.
Giants won!
I've learned that when you're grown, opposite sex siblings just seem to give up their relationship and instead find themselves lucky to pair up with in law same sex siblings. Though I appreciate this addition to my life for sure!!!!....I am also grateful for the chance to spend time with just my brother and talk like we used to. And of course, it's D, so the weekend was FILLED with TONS OF LAUGHS! I thought my abs would never heal.

Thank you to Sharla, Saige & Daxton for giving up a weekend with Darryl.

Thank you to Stacy for such a special gift!

And thanks to D for making the trip. I love you, Lil Brother!

HAPPY GRANDPARENTS DAY!!!

2011-09-11T19:04:00.000-07:00

GRANDPARENTS

Grandparents bestow upon their grandchildren
The strength and wisdom that time
And experience have given them.

Grandchildren bless their Grandparents
With a youthful vitality and innocence
That help them stay young at heart forever.

Together they create a chain of love
Linking the past with the future.
The chain may lengthen,
But it will never part...

~Author Unknown~

One More Flashback

2011-09-11T15:56:00.000-07:00

Okay, I'm done with the flashbacks...for now (don't hold your breath). But I couldn't resist.

Day 10: Swim Time and Good-bye

2011-09-09T18:01:00.001-07:00

Time to say good-bye to an awesome stay in Singapore. We can't even begin to thank the Denton's for all their hospitality for 10 whole days! It was an absolutely PHENOMENAL time!!!! Cheers to amazing friends that even moving half way across the world can't keep us apart. LOVE YOU, Millie!You sexy mama you!
The boys spent one last afternoon playing in the pool. Camille had the perfect underwater camera to capture the fun.

Good-Bye, Singapore!

Pals Before Gals!

2011-09-09T11:45:00.000-07:00

Where does time go? Here are pics of Shelby & Pierce back in Houston, where we all met living in the same neighborhood. Camille and I were on maternity leave together. We loved meeting up & letting the boys play.We just can't believe how much they've grown!I had "Pals before Gals" shirts made up for them back when they were little guys. Here's Shelby wearing his so long ago.

These two are such characters together! I can't help but wonder if they'll be 12th Man Members some day.

Singapore - Day 9: Fish Spa & Orchard Road

2011-09-05T16:56:00.001-07:00

Camille made sure we checked out the Fish Spa.They nibble the dead skin off your feet for a soft, fresh feeling.And it tickles!
Stacy sure had a lot of dead skin...they loved his feet! Ha
Then we were off to check out Orchard Road. It's essentially the equivalent of 5th Avenue in NYC. Fancy shops, uptown living.
Camille informed us that at the top of this building is a penthouse that sold the day it went on the market for $50 Million!
We obviously couldn't afford the shopping, but enjoyed the pic opportunities.
Random duck guy.
These signs were a lot of fun, since they were of so many things we'd seen and done all week.
(See below for the grins a Singapore Sling can bring)
As Shelby & Pierce napped, Stacy & I ventured out to Chinatown for souvenir shopping.
That evening we all headed out for dinner & some fun action at the Marina!
This is the smaller Merlion (the bigger one was at Sentosa) that's fun for pics.
This building is crazy! It's essentially a big ship on top of 3 towers. Amazing.
Wise guy...
Camille, Pierce & Blake
Weee!
Did you see that!
It's even prettier reflecting the setting sun.Singapore knows how to put on a fireworks show! The coolest I've ever seen for sure!!!! And what's crazy, is this was just practice. They start practicing a month in advance for their National day celebration.
Told you the Singapore Slings can bring big grins!

Singapore - Day 8: Shark Museum

2011-07-15T17:11:00.000-07:00

Day 8 Singapore showed us what a rainy day really looks like, so we spent time indoors. The boys enjoyed the shark museum, though the 3D movie wasn't designed to hold a child's attention, it was really interesting. Then, we spent the day in the apartment. Wii kept the kids entertained and energy exerted, as being couped up all day can present challenges with these two. We had an excellent Tita-prepared dinner and then we created a movie theater effect and all watched a movie together before bed.

Cool shark tattoos to go with Pierce's precious mohawk!That night the boys wanted to play "movie theater" so they set up blankets and pillows and were pretty cute with the adults so we could all feel like we were in the movies.

Singapore - Day 7: Sentosa

2011-07-14T02:21:00.001-07:00

The Merlion. Sentosa had a huge, beautiful Merlion that we climbed up for photos in the mouth.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Merlion (Malay: Singa-Laut) is a mythical creature with the head of a lion and the body of a fish, used as a mascot of Singapore. Its name combines "mer" meaning the sea and "lion". The fish body represents Singapore's origin as a fishing village when it was called Temasek, which means "sea town" inJavanese. The lion head represents Singapore's original name — Singapura — meaning "lion city" or "kota singa".
After the video & tour, Shelby got to place a gold coin in the Merlion's mouth for a gift to redeem later.
ROAR!
View from the mouth
Behind the Merlion was a beautiful tile area that I adored!
Getting geared up for the Luge! (video to come later)
Made our way to the beach and enjoyed lunch.
The ride back up to the starting point in the skyride. Gorgeous views!At the end of the day we met back up with the Denton's, had dinner & ran into Merrik & Violet again. So cute!
I told Camille I kept picturing these two at some college frat party some day being crazy.
Then we took Violet with us and we all went to the Night Safari. AMAZING!
Violet was a great balance for the boys.