Once in a lifetime experience

A couple of months ago Tyler and I started talking about how fun it would be to hike Havasupai. I said we better do it before I'm pregnant or too out of shape. So I called and made reservations and we said, "Anyone want to come with us?" It ended up being me, Tyler, my dad, and Lindsie in our car. And Brian, Linnlee, Marin, and Kevin in another car. Here are some words to describe the trip:

enjoyable

fun

sore

tired

pleasant

beautiful

spectacular

heat stroke

prayers answered

sand

waterfalls

horses

dogs

weight

blisters

bruises

views

beauty

strength

brave

pain killers

nice bathrooms

LDS chapel

mosquitos

Day 1: we drove up to the trailhead, watched all the "Bourne" movies on the way, set up our tent (turned out to be right by a cliff, but we didn't see that until the morning)

Day 2: hiked 10 miles to the campgrounds, another mile to Mooney Falls, and then back another mile to Havasupai Falls. The water felt wonderful, and the waterfalls were something to be seen. Relaxed for the evening, waited for the rain to stop, and tried to sleep.

Day 3: hiked out 10 miles, 1st half in the shade and 2nd half in the sun. Almost had someone die on us, but thru answers to our prayers we all made it out alive.

Would I do it again? ABSOLUTELY!!!

Here are the things we would bring next time...

-find a 1 lb. sleeping bag (instead of 6-8 lb.)

-hiking shoes

-tall socks

-more water bottles

-pillow

-more pain killers

-2 lb. tent

-extra tarp

-hat

-lightweight air mattress

Like Mother, Like Daughter

Anyone that knows me, knows that I LOVE...

Do you know?...

Here's some hints...

Yep, that's right... ICE CREAM!!!

Tyler doesn't have a sweet tooth like me, and so he doesn't appreciate Dreyer's, Breyer's, Blue Bunny, and DQ like I do. But now I have Addi to share my love for ice cream with. Thanks sis!

Keepin' up with the Jones'

When you hear the words ice-skating what do you think of?...Painting, right!? Well that's what I thought of! (Maybe it's because the paint color I picked is called "icing on the cake") :-) A couple of Saturdays ago Cooper and Ella were invited to our new neighbor, Jackson's, birthday party at Polar Ice. Cooper didn't want to try ice-skating, but Ella was all over it! Well, the night before the party I got an itch to paint. And Tyler is so patient with me, and when I have an itch - he let's me scratch it. (unless it's literally on my skin) :-)

So this color from a Pottery Barn Summer catalog had been in the back of my mind for forever! and I was feeling a need for more COLOR!

And so I just did what any other normal person would do...

I taped off the entire kitchen Friday night, and first thing Saturday morning I painted the kitchen in its entirety finishing just in time to go to the birthday party. I forgot how much I love to paint! Tyler is still getting used to it, but I love it! It is amazing how a gallon of paint can give you a whole new room. It makes your decorations look different, and it just feels fresh and clean. Anyone out there getting an itch? Give me a call! I will come over tonight and start taping!

"Icing on the cake"

Reflections of Christ

Here is Mark Mabry's first project: Reflections of Christ. Anyone that hasn't seen this PLEASE watch...

Another Testament of Christ

My dear friend Andrea had this on her blog, and I wanted to post it on my blog for my friends and family to see. I am so grateful that we are blessed with amazing technology that, when used appropriately, can teach people about Jesus Christ and help them feel his love for them. Please turn my playlist off before viewing...

Dove Huntin'

Nothing like a little dove huntin' to gear up for the cooling weather. Well, I don't know that you would call 100' F cooling weather, but it's amazing how much cooler it feels compared to 110' or 115'. We had a new family move in on our street and it has been so much fun to get to know them. They have 2 boys (Jackson & Brett) right around Cooper's age, and then a little girl (Sadie) that is Ella's age. They were going to a nearby cow farm to do some dove huntin' (it's dove season right now in AZ) last Saturday morning, and stopped and invited us to come along. I stayed home with Addison, but Tyler took Cooper and Ella. They had so much fun! But afterward we told the kids that if they kill it, they have to eat it, but we didn't eat these doves because the farmers put them in this "pit" where I guess other things feed on them. This was definitely a fun, new experience. And now Tyler wants to buy his own gun. But it was cute because when Kim (Tyler's mom) heard that he went dove huntin', she said, "My Tyler doesn't kill animals." :-) He says he wants a gun so that he is prepared in case he ever needs to hunt food for us. :-) He is my wilderness man! Shoot me a buffalo babe! :-) (totally kidding for any animal rights people out there)

Brett & Ella

I was honestly surprised when I saw these pictures. I didn't think Ella would touch the dead birds.

bird huntin'

Jackson

"the pit"

Some exciting Firsts!

We've had some exciting firsts at our house...

Addison's first pigtails!  Now you may think that these look little and silly, but us baldies appreciate any little hair that we have! :-)

Cooper tied his shoelaces in a bow!  But now we just got to get him to tie his own shoes. :-)  But it's still a first, and it's progress!  I can't believe how big our kids are getting!

Sisters & Makeup

You know your daughters really love each other when they will share 

their make-up and lip gloss.  Ella is so good about sharing with Addi.  I'm so grateful they love each other and get along...for now.  I'll take every day I can get.  :-)

Sisters and best friends

Hide and Seek

Tyler came home from work a little early last Friday and the kids wanted to play a game, so I suggested a good old game of Hide and Seek.  I think it's been almost 18 years since the last time I've played this game, but it's like riding a bike - you never forget the good spots.  And I have to give myself some props because it took them 15 min. to find me!

Cooper was hiding behind our bed with our food storage.

Ella was the ghost in the bathtub.

Okay, so this made me almost wet my pants I was laughing so hard.  I think Tyler was telling himself that he was invisible?  (I don't see you, you can't see me!)  :-)

THE WINNER!!!  

With the lights off in our closet my clothes just looked like the hanging clothes, and then I had my head behind Tyler's suits so you couldn't see my face.

There's nothing better than a good ol' game of Hide and Seek!

The Best Saturday Ever...

So remember me saying before how much I love the beach!?  Well, I forgot to mention how much I love going to the lake too!  If you can't go to the beach, the lake is definitely a qualifying equal.

Tyler's cousin and wife, Glen and Heather Jones, invited us to go to the lake with them last Saturday.  And let me tell you...IT WAS THE BEST SATURDAY EVER!!!  We had so much fun being with their family, the kids had a blast, the weather was great, and they gave Addi her 1st trip to the lake!

Addi, Jaxon, Glen, Cooper, and Ella

You can see that it's still dark outside.  That shows you what kind of serious lake-goers we are.  If you're not there for the nice water, you might as well not go. :-)  Okay, I wouldn't take it that far.  It has been almost 2 years since we had been to lake, so I think we would have rode anything - on anything.  And we did ride some crazy stuff...

The sun is coming up!  And the kids are happy!

Addi's 1st Lake Trip!  

I think she was a little overwhelmed by the softness of her vest. :-)

Tyler rode 1st

Dejavu...our first time together was at this lake!  Love it!

Addi did so well!  She even took a little nap later in the morning.  And she was happy with her Skittles.  (I know what you're thinking...What mom feeds their baby skittles at 5 a.m.?  Answer: Kristen Jones) - Did I just make you feel like a better mom? :-)

Tyler said that this is a rare cactus.  We don't know what it's called so for now we'll call it "Mr. Broccoli Head".  Do you see?  It's the one with weird hair waving to you.

Sorry ladies...once again, he is TAKEN!

Here's Heather landing a huge jump!  She is awesome!

Me...not too bad for someone that hasn't touched a board in 2 years?

Ella surfed with Tyler!  She was so brave and looked like a natural.  Look out Maven...here's your future wakeboarder!

Ella, are you having fun?

Did you know that Ella can't straighten her thumb?

The kids had a blast swimming!

Here's Glen in the middle of his back flip.  How sweet is that!?

Remember I said that we would ride anything.  Well, your eyes are not fooling you...

I rode an air chair!!!  It was the craziest and coolest thing I've ever done!  But let me tell you - it was DANG HARD!

Tyler getting up on the air chair too!

TRUE JOY

If you can't surf in the ocean, surf at the lake!

Thank you so much Glen and Heather for one of the BEST SATURDAYS EVER!  Let us know when you'd like to go again!  

Shout it from the Rooftops!

So lately I have just wanted to climb on top of the rooftops (which probably wouldn't surprise anyone to see my up there) and yell as loud as I can (which is pretty loud)...

"I LOVE YOU TYLER!!!"

I am married to one special man and this picture says it all...

"Any man can be a father, but it takes a special person to be a dad."

Thank you Babe, for being so special.  We love you!

-Kristen, Cooper, Ella, and Addison

Thank you!

Tyler and I went to a Stake Adult Missionary Fireside on Sunday featuring President and Sis. Packard (from our stake) as the speakers.  They just returned from serving as Mission President in the Mozambique, Africa mission.  Sis. Packard gave a wonderful talk on gratitude, and finding the good in everything - even during the hard times.  It was so neat to see pictures from their mission and hear stories of gratitude.  Here are people with nothing when it comes to material things, but everything when it comes to faith in Jesus Christ and love from our Heavenly Father.  Hearing about gratitude it reminded me of a list that I made when I was at BYU.  My bishop asked us during Thanksgiving to write down 5 things each day that we were grateful for.  And continue doing this until Christmas.  It's amazing the things that you become grateful for: kleenex, flushing toilets, razor, cereal, utensils, medicine, heaters, gloves, scarfs (can you tell I was in Utah during the winter)...

But then it also makes you reflect on the big things: atonement, resurrection, family, scriptures, temple covenants, baptism...

So if you're needing an activity to do with your family this winter - there's an idea for you. :-)

"Great!" Grandma Layton

We went and visited Grandma Layton and she is doing so well!  I am amazed at how fast she is healing and how sharp her mind is at 91 years old.  I'm so grateful that my kids will have memories of their "Greats".  I am so grateful for my Grandparents and all that they've done for me and taught me.  I think about how much change they have seen, and how they are the generation of adaptation. (is that a word?)  My grandparents have gone from buggies to corvettes, radios to HDTV, no phones to cell phones, stationary to email.  There is so much that we can learn from our elders!  I love the stories of "the way things used to be".  I love the look in their eyes when they're taking themselves back 50 years, pondering, remembering.  "Tell me the stories that I love to hear!"  I hope and pray that my grandparents have a little more time on this earth so that I can learn and grow from their amazing stories and experiences!

I think we give Grandma a good workout when we come!  It gets tricky trying to refrain the kids from jumping on her and wheeling her around.

Addison and Grandma-great!

Cooper and Grandma played a game of checkers and I think Cooper thought Grandma would let him win...think again!  Grandma is a fierce competitor!

I don't know if Grandma's smiling or trying not to die!  Ella likes to take her to get a cookie and see the fish.