I Am Thankful For...

Emily, my first daughter. I love that Emily looks a little like me, the Jones genes are strong, but I think she got a couple of mine. I love her beautiful big brown eyes, even though they are not blue like mine. She is fiercely independent, which I love and I hate. I know that she will be a strong independent woman someday, but it is hard right now when she wants to do everything herself. She does let me "do" her hair everyday, which is my favorite thing about having a little girl. I love her sweet easy going personality, she is such a joy. She is so smart, she has been talking in complete sentences since she was 18 months old, and hasn't stopped since. She is definitely 3 going on 30. She loves to make messes, but is allergic to cleaning up most of the time. She loves to play dolls and dress up. She is very imaginative, and independent when she play too. I am so thankful that this sweet little spirit is part of our eternal family. She brings peace and joy to our lives daily.

I Am Thankful For...

Brian, my firstborn. Brian has taught me a lot about myself, about being a mom, and learning to be patient. It started when he arrived almost 6 weeks early, he taught me that I cannot always be in control. He has taught me how to let things go, and savor each moment. I love that he "stops and smells the roses" along the way. This has taught me patience, something I definitely needed work on. He is smart, is a pretty good helper around the house, and he is great at making sure everything has batteries. I am grateful for his unconditional love, because heaven knows I am not perfect, and often lose my patience. His smile is contagious, he makes me smile, makes me laugh, and makes me cry. I am so happy that he is part of our eternal family.

I Am Thankful For...

Eddie. I am grateful for a righteous husband who holds the priesthood, and was able to take me to the temple so we can have an eternal family. I love that he takes care of me when I am sick. He held the family and the house together this year when I was pregnant and too sick to do very much. I love that he does dishes, helps with the cooking, and folds and puts the laundry away, in addition to the "husband" tasks like taking out the garbage, cleaning the garage and mowing the lawn. I love that we team teach the little Sunbeams at church, going on four years! I love Primary. I love that he indulges my little whims, like going shopping on Black Friday at 4am. I love that he took family vacations to Disneyworld and Disneyland. I love that he wanted a balance between family and career, having his own chiropractic business allows him to spend time together as a family. I love that we like to do lots of the same things, going to see movies, reading, and enjoying the outdoors. I love that he is "handy" he has fixed the washer and dryer, the cars, toys, and leaky faucets, and he can build stuff, a bookcase, a swing set, and a train table. I love that he loves to help people feel better by taking care of their bodies. I love that we have similar ideals about natural health, we limit the use of medication, don't vaccinate, and have drug free births. I love that he was able to "catch" our third baby. I love that he was a Boy Scout, and focuses on "Being Prepared". He is working hard on emergency supplies, food storage, and preparedness for our family. I love that we have a dream of traveling the country in our own RV someday. Someday we would also love to live on our own piece of land, in our dream house that we build, and have our own cow (for milk) and chickens (for eggs and chicken). I love that he is the father of my children, and loves to spend time with them. I love that he reminds me so much of my father. Before my dad died, he told me he was grateful that his kids were grown, and he knew that we would be OK, and that Eddie would take care of me. I think he's doing a wonderful job, living up to my dad's expectations.

I Love Fall

My favorite season, well it just depends, Spring is my favorite after a long cold winter, I don't really like to be cold. But Fall is definitely my favorite after a long hot summer. I love the smell of that first crisp cool night. I love to see the leaves change color. I love to hear the rustling noise the leaves make as you walk through them. I love the morning frost that coats the lawn in a white blanket, and makes a great crunching noise when you walk on it. I love putting on my warm sweaters. I also love Thanksgiving, eating turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing and gravy, YUM! Spending time with family and friends. And to celebrate Thanksgiving this year I am going to do a 25 days of Thanksgiving posts, so I can share all the things I am thankful for.

Brian Listens at School

Today Brian came home from school, with this piece of information...Barack Obama is the 44th president. Yes, that is correct. Eddie and I didn't really know what else to say. And the headlines are reading "Change has come to America," Barack Obama is the first African-American leader of the United States of America. We will just have to wait and see what this "change" will bring. However, we are preparing for this change by making sure that we follow the counsel of prophets: 72 emergency kit, food storage, get and stay out of debt, etc. We will continue to stay the course and endure to the end.

First Smile

Danielle has begun to smile in the last couple of days. Only daddy can really get her to do it, and he was able to capture a cute smile on his cell phone camera today. Now daddy has voluntered to go and take portraits so we can get a good smile:)

P.S. It kinda looks like she had two bottom teeth, but it must be a glare, because she doesn't have any teeth yet!

Halloween

Brian and Emily Trick or Treating in Style

Brian and Emily were so excited to go Trick or Treating. I don't know if they wanted to knock on doors or eat candy? Brian was a Storm Trooper, and Emily was a Cinderella (what else would she be) and Danielle was a Pumpkin. We just walked around our little neighborhood, Brian got to take his Grave Digger, and he escorted his sister when she got tired of walking. We have a candy tradition, when they get home they get to each as much candy as they want and then the candy fairy comes and takes it away. Really this method is easier than fighting about it for weeks afterward.

A Storm Trooper, a Pumpkin, and a Princess

Eddie does a great job carving pumkins each year.