Christmas 2009

It’s hard to believe that we’re already at the end of another year, what a whirlwind it has been! We feel more blessed (and exhausted) every day. Here’s the short and sweet version, feel free to read past blog entries if you want more juicy details.

We were blessed with little Luke Grayson’s arrival on May 5^th, a month ahead of schedule. It really seems like the second child grows up a lot faster than the first! He’s just turned seven months and is in a really FUN stage of his development. He’s sleeping all night (WooHoo!), laughing and babbling a LOT, drooling everywhere, and eating lots of food (much sooner than Avery did), and has two bottom teeth coming in. He is very attentive to what Avery is doing, and learning quickly to defend himself from her pokes and choke-hold hugs (see below).

Avery turned two years old in July, and boy is she ever a two-year-old. She loves jumping on the trampoline, tumbling class, reading with mommy and daddy, playing with her babies, pestering Rudy, and smothering her little brother. She took a spill in the hallway in September and cracked her front tooth, so her first visit to the dentist resulted in a pulled tooth. The good news is that it will grow back – in seven years or so. She has finally nailed the potty training (another WooHoo!) and now we get to take her potty EVERYWHERE we go, about every half hour.

Ashley and I celebrated our sixth anniversary in October, we often laugh about not being able to remember what it was like without kids (or Rudy). What did we do with all our spare time back then? Ha! Not that we’re complaining – we do have more fun now than we ever did before. It’s amazing how much entertainment you can get from two toddlers, a pug, and a laser pointer! :)

We hope this season finds your family doing well this Christmas season. We pray for our family and friends often, some of whom are in the midst of very, very difficult times. It is in these times especially that we pray you find rest, comfort, and peace in the saving grace of Jesus Christ. May you and your family have a blessed New Year!

Here are a couple of pictures from our recent trip to Knott's Berry Farm. Avery and her cousin Kinley had a blast at Camp Snoopy!

Much to be thankful for

We spent the majority of the last week being sick, and are glad to be over the sickness. Avery is potty trained now, woo-hoo, and wants to go potty every twenty minutes. Luke is starting to get teeth and has taken a liking to eating cereal. He is really at a fun age where he's starting to make lots of happy faces and noises. He sleeps very well, but both of our kids like to get up early in the morning. Oh well, I guess that's the price we pay for having some quiet time in the evenings.

Here are a couple recent pictures:


Avery helping daddy put the laundry in the washer.





Avery and Rudy on the lawn (covered with fallen leaves).






Luke on the floor in his second favorite spot.







Luke on Ashley's lap (his most-favorite spot)








Avery took her first pony ride at a friend's birthday party a few weeks back.

The ending of an era...

A couple weeks ago Avery took a face-first header into the floor and chipped her tooth. Well, the chip was actually a pretty serious crack that required the dentist to remove the tooth. So now we have a little two-year-old with a missing tooth, the new tooth should grow in fine - in about 5-7 years... So the mouth-full-of-teeth era has come to an end.

Luke is also past the put-me-down-anywhere-and-I-won't-move phase. He's rolling over now, just started eating some rice cereal, and will be asking to borrow Dad's keys any day now. Fortunately he's sleeping through the night - going to bed around 8:00 and making it till about 6:30am or 7:00am.

Everything else is wonderful, we are blessed.

Where did the summer go?

You wouldn't know it by the weather (still 100 degrees outside), but the summer is gone. We spent some time having fun, we had a bunch of friends up in the beginning of August, here's a pic of some of the kids on the trampoline.

Our friends, Mindy and Aaron, let us borrow their motorhome and we took a trip up to Dinkey Creek then over to the coast. Here's Avery chasing birds in Shell Beach.

We also took a road trip to Las Vegas for the annual softball tournament, visited the free aquarium (with mermaid) at Bass Pro Shops, watched planes land at the airport, and hung out at the park. Oh yeah, there was also the hundred hour drive...

One Saturday we took a quick jaunt up to Big Creek, just below Huntington Lake, and had a picnic at the elementary school...

Here are a few more pics from weeks past...

Happy Birthday Avery!

Hard to beleive it, but the little one just turned two today. We had a nice little party and made a mess of grammy's house. When the little ones grew weary of that, we moved the party down to the pool and swam for a while. Lots of sugar, heat, and running around should make for some heavy sleepers tonight (we'll be two of them)!

Here are a couple recent shots...

Feelin Hot, Hot, Hot...

Summer has officially arrived, and much of our time has been spend playing in the pool and trying to stay cool. Luke is growing like a weed, and Avery is following suit. Looking at this picture makes me wonder if Luke is really that small or if Avery is just getting that much bigger. It's Avery. Luke's tipping the scales at about 9lbs these days, hard to believe. Even harder to believe is that Avery has finally passed Rudy in the weight category.

Avery took swim lessons in April and May, and at her age, there wasn't much swimming being learned. What we have on our hands now is a little girl that loves the water, but has no fear or respect of the water. We have to keep a close eye on her because she'll just jump in the water without warning. So we're extra careful to keep the gate locked...

And she's at that age where you really gotta watch what you say or do because it gets repeated without warning. Take this picture for example (forgive the bad focus). I mean, what almost-two-year-old doesn't sit at the dining room table with no shirt on and read Sports Illustrated? I don't think she saw Ashley doing that... "Ba-kit-bawl, DaDa, Ba-kit-baw!"

Not much else to report. Just some pictures of how these little ones are growing up way too fast.

Luke in his preferred napping position.

Something catches the little guy's eye, probably his big sister's finger about to poke it.

Avery watering the newly planted grass, just seconds before she waters Dad and camera.

The three stooges enjoy the afternoon ritual, Otter Pops (aka "Pot-skit-o, Mom, Pot-skit-O, peeeze!" (cousins Cole and Kinley)

Avery Meets Luke!

Because we got home from the hospital after Avery had already gone to bed, she had to wait until morning to meet her little brother.



Here's a 3 1/2-year-old's account of what happens when a woman goes into labor, by our nephew Cole, who Ashley was babysitting when her water broke...

He's here, already!

Little Luke Grayson Jones made his entry about one month ahead of his scheduled arrival date. More to follow when we get home from the hospital. Mom and little Luke are fine. He is 5lbs 14oz and 19.5" born at 3:45 pm on May 5th. Pictures can be seen on Justice's facebook page.

April Flowers...

Well, we missed March, I'm not sure how that happened. We had a nice Easter break, and life is just peachy up here. Ashley is away at Hume this weekend with the ladies and I'm home with Avery, scary thought. Had Cheetos for dinner last night :)







Not sure if you noticed our little pregnancy tracker in the sidebar below, but we're getting close. Not sure if Avery comprehends that there's a little brother inside there (I barely believe it), but she's always willing to give kisses to little bro. We're still undecided on his name...

And, I (not Avery) got a trampoline for my birthday. I mean, seriously, what kind of Dad would I be buying a 21-month-old a grown up toy? And what 32year-old wouldn't want one (a moped was a close second choice)?


And yes, Avery likes it too. We just zip her in and throw a few fishy crackers every couple hours. (j/k, but she would spend all day in there if we let her) It's a great wear-out tool at the end of the day. So now I get home, eat dinner, jump on the trampoline with Avery until we're both tired, take a bath, and throw her tired little toosh into bed. Bada-bing. Another excellent appropriation of funds. Turns out adults like it too, here's Steve jumping over his wife. Safety comes first here in the Jones household.... And yes, us larger adults can "bottom out" the trampoline... just another reminder of how old we're getting.