Interesting Concoctions

So today we printed an interesting shirt. The man who ordered it came in a while ago and wanted us to print all of it. Unfortunately, the front logo was trademarked, so we told him he had to find that shirt and bring it in.  Then we could print the back logo (against our better judgement).

Front

Back

Now, even though the One-Eyed Man in Park City could have printed the front, I don't give out his contact info to just anyone. Only special people get to use that contact!!! (Shameonyou21 the man's artwork made them look like what I told you before, I fixed it to this).

p.s. Just to clarify or clear up any confusion, the One-Eyed Man in Park City is not actually a real person. He just helps give me a source to tell people who ask me where I got my trademarked apparel so as to not get a certain business owner, of a certain print shop, in trouble for printing certain logos!

Baby Girl Jones

Easton called my parents the other day and told my Mom that he was going to have a baby sister! Tavi took the boys to Kanab for a couple of weeks before they go to Japan for the rest of the summer, and Tavi had a friend whose husband who is an Ultrasound Technician. They figured they would give it a go, even though it is still a little bit early to be 100% certain. From what I gather, they got a good shot of the certain region needed to detect the baby's gender, so they are 90% for sure that it is a girl!!! Tavi really wanted to have a girl being that she has the two boys, and they may just stop at three kids. They only wanted three or four to begin with. Cooper will be 2 1/2 when the baby is born, and Easton will be almost 5!

The two babies, Boston, and Brooklynn will be 1 when the baby is born. Mitch and Tavi are still not sure where Tavi will have the baby. If she is having it in America, Mitch can't be here (it's not just a hop, skip and a jump away ya know), and she has to come home in like July (she will only be over in Japan with Mitch for a few months, and he will have to spend the rest of the summer [til like October] alone. If Tavi has the baby in Japan...well that just opens up a whole big can of what ifs. They are going to check out the options, and see if there is some way Tavi and the boys might be able to stay there with him. Mitch and Tavi have heard from some people that there is no such thing as an epidural in Japan. Again, they have a lot of questions and things they need to figure out!!!

Not only has it been shown that the Jones kids can have girls with Ericka having Brooklynn, but so can the Jones boys with Mitch and Tavi now having a girl. Now my label for my posts :niece(s) will actually make sense!

I Finally Got Her To Laugh!

I was putting Brooklynn in her car seat as she was about to go home, and she was being kinda fussy. I mean who wouldn't be upset if you were being strapped into this cramped little seat and shoved into the backseat backwards away from every one and everything getting car sick to boot!

Anyway, as I always do, I make a little jump when the handle "clicks" into place like it scared me. This time though, she thought it was actually funny! Despite all of my previous attempts of making a fool out of myself to make her laugh, it worked when I was least expecting it. Most of the time I get a smile, or some other form of acknowledgement. This was so cute, and so funny I wanted to cry as she laughed harder the more Ericka and I did it! Not to mention as soon as the phone comes out to record the event or take a picture, it is no longer funny, or they are no longer in the mood to even give you the time of day!!!

A Record!

I don't know if any of you out there have noticed but today marks an amazing record being set. What record you ask? How dare you not realize it! As of today, and as of this post, I have posted every day for seven straight days!!! That is more posts than I have done in some months all together!!! Credit the blog-off, credit my new years goal, or credit my own personal determination/stubborn-ness to make sure I get you some good quality posts to read. All of them in some way, shape or form have had a hand in it I am sure!

Even when the blog-off is conceded a victory to me by the "other" participants, I will continue the posts often enough to not keep you stranded with a lack of life from me!

By the way, I just want to also announce that I am officially a current temple recommend holder again. I technically had my old one that didn't expire until April, but since the Church changed them to the barcode system, I slacked in getting the new one. I was supposed to get it taken care of before December, but I am a lazy dork, and didn't get it done until everything was finalized tonight. Yea me!!!

There was a little bit of a process to get the Bishop's portion done. It is a long story but to save you the drama, let's just say that our ward clerks/young boys pretending to do their callings, need to be more on the ball so it is less of a back and forth as to who is in charge of scheduling the appointments, and returning phone calls earlier than one week after the initial call and message was placed! Another thing that bugs is that when the Bishop is clearly more than 30 minutes behind schedule, a courtesy call would be nice to say that it would be best if I came about 30 or so minutes later than originally scheduled. This way one doesn't show up for a two minute interview, but leaves an hour and a half after arriving! Not that hard people, not that hard!!!

Blog-Off/Bunco

Since the whole blog-off war started between Shameonyou21 and I, two more people have jumped on the Blogger Bandwagon (tee hee hee)! Shameonyou21's sissy, and Di Di (our other cruise friend). I hope they both realize that this really does mean war! Shameonyou21 is behind enough, let alone two wanna-be's who just started!!! Just kidding guys!

So we had Bunco tonight at my mammy's house. I begged her to come and play along with three other friends. I knew Shameonyou21 would tell me there is no chance in haites she would even consider playing, so I didn't even bother. To one friend I basically said I was so desperate I really needed her to come.

The way the prize thing works in this group is that we each pay $10 after each get together. There is a $30 prize for the one with the most Bunco's, a $20 prize for the highest score, four $10 prizes (most zeros, lowest score, hostess square, and the red Bunco travel dice). Everyone else gets a $5 prize for just showing up. That's what I always get. I have NEVER gotten any of the above mentioned prizes. Two of my friends who came tonight walked away with the two highest prizes...jerks!!! What is with everyone else's beginners luck, and I can't even get a tiny bit of veterans luck, not to mention I couldn't stop eating the friggin candy on the tables!!!

Bunco Is Not Worth This Much Hassel!

A few months ago I joined a little game group my roommate belonged to called Bunco. I had played this dice game a couple of times before, and thought it might be fun. It is only once a month, and if nothing else you get a stupid $5 prize for just showing up (even though it cost $10 to play)!

Last month while I was in Mexico, three people out of our group quit. This game is pretty dependent upon having all 12 members of the group in attendance, so when the person who is the hostess for the month gets to be in charge of finding the subs. I am the hostess for this particular month. Not only did I struggle finding three subs, but a fourth called today and said she couldn't come either!

My philosophy then, is we are down four members, three subs were hard enough to find, now I had to BEG another friend and my mommy, both of whom didn't want to come in the first place! A stupid dice game is not worth having to find subs for the majority of your group every month. If we can't find people who are willing to commit to this every month, then what is the point of even having the game in the first place???

I understand things come up. I had surgery, went to Las Vegas for the football game, and went on a cruise to Vegas, but I told them an entire month in advance that those things were taking place, let alone the night before the game is supposed to take place!

GAH! I am so tempted to just quit this thing if it is going to be this freaking complicated!

Charlie Bit Me

Why does this keep reminding me of something my two nephews Easton and Cooper would do??? Probably because I really can see them doing it. Not very long ago, my brother and s-i-l were sitting on the couch in their living room when all of a sudden they hear:

"Jump Cooper, I'll catch you!"

Cooper then proceeded to jump off the kitchen counter into his brother's arms. Let's just say that Easton got flattened! Easton is 4, and Cooper is not quite 2. Cooper weighs almost as much as his older brother, so the thought of little chubbers jumping off the kitchen counter to Easton, makes me roll on the ground laughing! That is like adding another 20 pounds on top of the 35 pounds Cooper already has on him. A whopping 55 pounds flying through the air and a slender kid like Easton probably wondering while Cooper was in mid air, what in the crap he got himself into!

I Love The One-Eyed Man

Before you all freak out, I just want to say that it's true. The "One-Eyed Man from Park City" is the one who helps me get all those name brand clothes for real cheap! You have all heard me talk about him over the years I am sure of it!

I forgot to mention in one of my "Pros" from the game the other night that I scored a sweet new t-shirt. I just called up my long time "friend" and luckily he had a cute little white t-shirt (in my size can you believe it) just lying around, and pushed off to the side. The front had the word "Cougars" in navy writing, in a script font with one of those baseball looking tails on it. It also had at the end of the tail an oval "Y" logo which you see on the football helmets. On the high back it had a small little "BYU" just under the neck line--also in navy writing. To top it all off, both logos had a "washed" look to them, so they looked kind of faded and worn! SO CUTE! I have attached a rough sketch at the bottom of this page of what it kinda looks like!

What luck! I never have that kind of luck with clothes. I also forgot to mention that he was passing right by my work when I got the idea that I wanted to wear some "Cougar Gear" to the game. He pulled over right in front, I walked out the door and he found me a shirt. The ONLY one of its kind!

Nats was jealous cause she secretly wanted one too. She hid her excitement by asking if I knew if my "friend" had any Utah apparel. I told her I would ask, but he might charge her more because of the fact that she claims the UofU as her school and he is a long time BYU fan!!!

Do you have any friends that give you the hook-ups like this???

Pros and Cons

As I mentioned in my previous post, I went to a very important basketball game last night. Important because it gives one team certain bragging rights until the next meeting. Of course, but not in as dramatic fashion as the football team, BYU prevailed over UTAH 67-59 in what was a close, exciting game that came down to the last minute of play, in what was an extremely loud arena.

I remember when I was little, I used to go to the games with my Dad. Then I would feel all important when I would go with him as he refereed the games too, cause I could go in all the back tunnels, and get a VIP treatment from the staff who were told to just keep an eye on me so I didn't wander off. Some of my favorite memories are going refereeing with him. The early years while sitting in the stands listening to everyone yell bad things at my Dad, I would start to get kind of defensive within myself like, "Hey stop yelling at my Dad!"

Anyway, needless to say it had been a very long time since I had been to the Marriott Center, and therefore didn't remember or realize how loud it really was. My Dad gave us some trivia last night, in that BYU has the 2nd largest basketball arena in the country, with Kentucky being number 1. Who-duh-thunk-it?!

Here are some pros and cons about our experience last night:

CONS:

1. Bench Seats (no chair back)
2. The Creamery's Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Ice Cream only had TWO chunks of cookie dough. What the crap! I gave my dad the cookies and cream one cause I thought the cookie dough sounded better...DOH!
3. Dumb lady behind me kept hitting me with her rally towell, and kept saying jibberish about the game in which she had no clue about.
4. BYU didn't blow out UTAH.
5. Nats wasn't cheering for the right team!
6. Parking too far away for sweet old G-Pa.
7. Having to drive back to my parents to get my car, to drive back to my apt that is five minutes away from the Marriott Center.
   

PROS:

1. Free tickets (Given to us by a member of the Athletic Dept.)
   
2. 10th row free tickets
3. Free Ice Cream and Drink (My Daddy paid for these!)
4. Free Rally Towell (A Blue towell that the gave everyone in the first 20 rows to wave around and cheer with) I told Nats I was going to screen print the score on them and hang em up on our wall in the apt...although I probably wont though, just to be nice.
5. Nats dressed in blue. (She had her UofU t-shirt on underneath her sweatshirt)
6. Nats having to struggle to keep her emotions in check, fearing she would be mauled by the sea of fans dressed in blue on all sides of us. She had a few outbursts that she couldn't control, but I just giggled.
7. The Company (Grandpa Keetch, Dad, Friend)
8. Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup at my Momma's house before the game.
9. The Cougars WON!
10. G-Pa had tons of fun! He doesn't like to get out much, fight crowds of people, and think that he is burdening us who want him to have fun. He is a MAJOR fan, and so it is only natural he had fun.
11. Saw "Church Celebrity" Sheri Dew. Grandpa also thought that was pretty cool. We almost rode the elevator with her, but she changed her mind last minute and took the stairs.
12. BYU didn't blow out their opponent. This made for an exciting game. Probably would have been pretty boring had one team completely dominated the other.
    

Contest

So Shameonyou21 decided that after months of having a blog, and not doing anything with it, that she would issue a challenge to me that she will out-post me. She works 9-7 a lot, and I sit at a computer all day, with not much to do right now. Hmmm...I wonder! Not to mention, I am a stubborn, and competitive fool that some people will not even play Monopoly with me I get into it so much. We'll see how long she lasts!

Anyway, I finally got my last cd of pictures, so expect a big cruise picture fest within a day or so. I am headed to the BYU vs Utah basketball game tonight with my Dad, and Grandpa Keetch. My roommate Nats is coming, and she is a big Utah fan. She invited me to a game a couple of weeks ago, and I was good about cheering for Utah since we were on the third row behind their bench! They weren't playing my Cougars though, so I don't know how she will be tonight. I told her she had to wear blue and cheer for the Cougars. She agreed to that in the form of, she would sheer as much as I did at their game (i.e. accidentally busting out in the "Rise and Shout" fight tune of BYU during the Utah fight song).

GO COUGARS!!!

My Calling In Heaven

Most people say they find their callings in life, and while I am still looking for mine, I've discovered what I want to be when I get to heaven. A Sniper Angel. You might be wondering what the crap, but hang with me, I will explain.

On Sunday during my second church meeting, I had a really hard time concentrating, and focusing on the lesson being taught. We as a ward were all combined into one room. By the time I made it into the room, my roommate and I were near the back of the room. With about a hundred people in this room, and being near the back of one of the dance rooms we met in, voices didn't exactly carry to my neck of the woods.

What makes my rambunctiousness more damnable is that the Stake President was the one teaching the lesson! I figure I will have to settle for being a good girl, but not quite good enough to go all the way. This way I can still have a job, and it in a way, punishes me for being a bad girl and will remind me for eternity what I did wrong.

Not a bad job if I can justify myself a little bit. A Sniper Angel will get to hover around church meetings and strike down those who are being naughty when they probably really need to learn the lesson being taught!

Brian Regan

This guy is so funny. He's my new favorite comedian!

Strawberry Mango Goodness

While I try to get the pictures organized, and uploaded, I thought I would do a little restaurant review. The restaurant is called World Famous and it is located right on the beach in San Diego, California. Their menu changes pretty much daily, or at least they print out a new menu every day...(you know that because the date is printed at the top of each menu). Shameonyou21 and Randoval found this place a couple of years ago when they were staying here, and took a walk on the boardwalk. A short ten minute walk along the beach's boardwalk and you are there. We went there Thursday night for dinner, and then we loved it so much, we went back the night we returned to San Diego a week and a half later!

This, my friends, is my strawberry mango goodness! The actual name is Strawberry Mango Angel Food Trifle! It has giant spears of mango in the glass along the sides, a strawberry and a vanilla custard sauce (creme anglaise), chunks of angel food cake, and whipped cream and strawberries. All I have to say about this is...OH! MY! This made dinner oh so much better!

The best part about this restaurant some would say is the view. While you can't normally beat that, I would have to say that my strawberry mango goodness is almost tied with something else on the menu. What is it you ask??? It is the most rich and yummy lobster bisque (basically a cream of lobster soup) I have had since school! The cruise ship had lobster bisque offered one night, and it didn't even come close to this one. It even had some lobster bits in it! You all know how much I love me some lobster bits!!!

We joked about asking the waitress if the soup comes with free refills, so I actually asked her. She giggled, then leaned down and asked me what is was I said! I repeated my question,

"So the lobster bisque comes with free refills right?!"

She kinda chuckled again, then took my bowl (which I wasn't completely done with cause I wanted to use the bread to lick it clean) and said, "Oh it is so rich you would get sick if you ate another bowl."

As she walked away I felt my eyes welling up with tears because I wasn't done, and because she really never answered my question. I REALLY did want another bowl! It wasn't like there was a full cup of soup. I bet there wasn't even quite a half of a cup in there! JERK WAITRESS!

The second time we went, we couldn't decide what entree we wanted, so we tried all the appetizers, some delectable lobster bisque, and of course some strawberry mango goodness! I think the appetizers, and those other two dishes are the best things on the menu (from what we tried anyway).

What we tried:

• Crab Stuffed Mushrooms--These are better when you squeeze a little lemon on them, rather than eating them plain!
• Crunchy Jumbo Shrimp--Essentially these are a coconut shrimp. The sweet ancho chili sauce was tasty also!
• Lobster Spring Rolls--Lobster bits (mmm lobster bits) in a spring roll with a spicy mango jalapeno sauce...mmm!
• Big Island Ahi Tuna--If you like sushi, this is the appetizer for you! Chunks of tuna on sticky rice with a little sweet/spicy sauce drizzle!
• Peppered Seared Yellow Fish Tuna--A little too peppery in some spots (I know shocker cause I put pepper on EVERYTHING), but overall very good and it was cooked to perfection. The hot mustard sauce went perfectly with it also!
• Shrimp San Miguel--Shameonyou21 said she liked it, but the sherry flavor took over a little bit from the overall taste.
• Capellini California--Di Di didn't have much to say about this because she was too busy eating it! I tasted some and it has a very fresh flavor. No seafood in it, which was perfect for her!
• Steak and Sea Scallops--I don't like scallops very much. To me they are just ooey gooey fish balls. They have a very fishy flavor and the texture is rubbery. Randoval didn't love this, because I think the steak came with carmelized red onions and so it was a little sweeter than he likes his meat.
• Pacific Clam Chowder--I liked this very much, but once you've tasted fresh clam chowder somewhere on the coast, there isn't much you can do to doll it up. I just liked the lobster bisque BETTER!

Anyway, I am only waiting on Di Di and Shameonyou21 to get me CD's with their pictures. Let's face it...we were all going to share pictures, so I let them take the most. Anyway, in the mean time, Shameonyou21 has posted a little synopsis with some pics on her blog, so go check it out while you are waiting for me to get the CD's to give you the whole trip!

I No Wanna Be Home...

My Mexican Vacation is officially over and I am not happy one bit about it! Needless to say I had a blast, and would turn around and go back right now if I could. I hate coming back to the real world where I have to clean up after myself, and actually have to pay for my food and drinks. What the crap is that about?! I have been tempted to take my soda card from the ship and walk into a Chevron and walk out with a free soda. What??? It doesn't work that way in the real world?! STUPID REAL WORLD!

Anyway, I working on a site where I can upload all of my pictures, so when I get that finished, I will have a fatty post with tons of pictures. For now though, I have scanned and uploaded my really expensive cruise photographer pictures on the two "formal dress" nights in the dining room.

Formal Night #1, Second Day on Ship: Me, Di Di, and Shameonyou21

Formal Night #2, Second to Last Day on Ship

Formal Night #2--We actually had these taken

by one of the thousand photographers on the ship!

Mexico Here I Come!!!

I thought this day would never come! For the last four or so months, I have known I was going on a cruise, but time seemed to move so slowly!!! At long last, my cruise vacation is about to begin. My friends and I will drive to San Diego, California tonight, play all day at Sea World on Thursday, and play for half a day doing who cares what on Friday. We will then board the ship, and from then on I will be praying (and so should you) that I will not be blowing chunks for the two days at sea before we ever reach the shores of Mexico.

Acapulco's weather forecast calls for high 80's, and you had better "keep your cake out of the sun" type weather. With that said, I just want to let you all know, that I will be thinking of you often. Especially when I am laying on the warm beaches of old Mexico, while you all are laying on your freezing cold couches bundled up in blankets, while it is 10 degrees outside, because you are stuck in this frozen arctic valley that is Utah!!!

I will post pictures, and an overall summary of my warm, fabulous, and much needed vacation when I get back the first week in February! Love ya all, mean it!!!

More Goals...

I figured today of all days was an extra appropriate and good day to set some more goals. I have reached yet another year closer to that very bad day that mjillie and I decided today was going to give me a coronary. I realize I really do have things that I want to have accomplished in my life just in case that coronary actually does come 366 days from now (it is a leap year). I promised Kristen that I would for sure put this first one on my list, so my friend, that one is for you!!!

1. More Posts, More Often-I go through these phases of ginormously long posts, and then no posts. Another ginormously long post apologizing for being a bad girl, and promise to be better without any change. With or without anything profound to say, I WILL be better.
2. Being Debt Free-I almost have my car paid off, I have some student loans still, and I have a little bit of credit card debt (mostly from school). I hate seeing my money go down the tubes. I waste a lot with my own habits, don't get me wrong, I would just love to know what it feels like (for what will probably be the only time the rest of my life this will happen) to not have most of my paycheck every month sent to a thousand different places. I would actually like to have a savings account with more money in it than the required minimum. In my last post, I mentioned eating out less. I feel this will help me a tiny bit with my financial frenzy. I know it isn't the cure all, nor is there a cure all by any means. I will be smarter about my habits, but not so strict that I can't have fun.
3. Learn a New Trick/Hobby-I know that Jaime and Shameonyou21 are licking their chops right now hoping they mean scrapbooking of some sort. While that is a possibility, I may want to try something new. I have always wanted to learn to play the guitar, even though I have no sense of rhythm or musical ability. Heck, it could even just be something as dumb as a card trick! Obviously, I hope it might be more than that, but I want to try and better myself in any way possible. I would love some ideas on this as well!
   
4. Have Fun, and Laugh A Lot-My cruise is something that is getting me off on the right foot. Who knows if I will ever go on another cruise ever again in my life, who knows if I will even like it. All I know is that I am hoping this turns into one of those once in a lifetime vacations, that I will never forget. (It better with what it is costing me to go, that's for dang sure!) I have good friends, and we have had great times together. I love those times! This will only happen obviously if I don't lose touch with those I love. I promise to do all those things I love to do, and hopefully enjoy doing them with my good friends. Such things include games, movies, dinner, kicking either Kristeee's trash, or Birdees's trash at deathball, and cooking/baking for and with you all. Shameonyou21 and I occasionally get together for a fun night of making dinner, but she usually just goes behind me cleaning up my spills/messes all over. She comes up with new ideas (or even the old ones), and we help each other figure out how best to accomplish the meal successfully, with the least amount of food all over her stove or floor. It's a win win situation really! Even if it is piling a plate for Randoval a mile high with spaghetti enough for five! Road trips, or veg out times, or even getting a cold beverage in the summer, or getting a hot chocolate in the winter to simply have a free minute to catch up. I just don't want it miss out on even the dumb things that may not mean a lot at the time, but looking back and laughing and loving those times we spent I hope will stay with me forever!
5. Be More Spiritual-I am not going to elaborate too much on this, because I feel it is pretty self explanatory. It is the little things in this area that I find myself slipping in, and therefore not feeling as I think I should. The daily habits that are so hard to form, yet so easily broken must become more of a routine, or it will never work.
   

At the close of this "special" day in my 20th-something year, I'd like to say thanks to all the little people that have kept me going. Especially when I have my fun little ski-breaks like smacking myself in the face with my deathball racket! Maybe I need more help than is actually humanly possible afterall!

New Years Resolutions

I have come to terms with something that may come as a big shock to all of you...I am not perfect ::big sigh:: I know, I know, pick yourselves up from your fallen state of shock and get over it!

I have been contemplating my life as of late. Not that I am dying, or plan to by any means, I guess as the holidays drew nearer (and then ended), my money stash under my mattress dwindling into dust bunnies, and work sucking (with some of the customers needing a good shovel to the side of their heads), I've decided to set some goals for myself with ways I will be able to reach them and measure them. I haven't decided yet whether or not to put them in my sidebar. I guess if you guys think they are OK, and worthy of such an honor, I will!

I will post a couple of goals a day until I feel they are all here, so you don't end up with one of my famous novel posts! Here the first couple. Keep in mind these are in no particular order...

1. Lose 10 More Pounds: I know that 65 is already a lot, but call me greedy, I would like to get down to my ideal weight being this close. Ways to accomplish this particular goal would include an actual gym attendance/work out regime. I am currently a member of a certain large, well known gym in the area, I just actually need to go! Also, after spending almost two years paying Weight Watchers to lose weight, I think I have some of the eating tools to be able to help me accomplish this. I will start writing things down again, and paying closer attention to my point values. I did not come this close to gain it all back again (STUPID HOLIDAYS). Eating out every night must stop also. It will become more of a reward to myself for a week well done, or for special occasions such as nights out with you folk!
2. Keep in Better Contact with those I Love: I have some good friends. Some I see and speak with on a regular basis, some I see and speak with every blue moon, and some I haven't seen or spoken in a very long time because of a geographical location or otherwise. I would still like to keep their friendship and keep in good contact.
   

Holiday Happenings

I have been a very bad girl. Bad me, bad! Anyway, just before Christmas my family all traveled to Las Vegas for the BYU vs UCLA Pioneer Las Vegas Bowl (a football game). My cousin obtained about 40 tickets in the main endzone section of the UNLV football stadium. All of them were taken up by family and friends. I think including the kids, there were about 27ish family members at the game who traveled from various places in Utah and Nevada. Despite the cold weather, and the near loss by my BYU Cougars, we had a ton of fun...

After we got home (no thanks to two hour flight delays, but better than driving in black ice conditions on I-15), all of my siblings happened to stay over at my parents house on Christmas Eve. We had a huge dinner consisting of Tenderloin Steaks, Salmon, Shrimp, Crab Dip, 7 Layer Dip, Clam Chowder and a Veggie Tray (it was ALMOST as huge as the dinner they have for the Super Bowl...[another football game, only on a professional level])!!! We opened pajamas, and woke up early thanks to two crying babies, two young boys excited for Santa, and my sissy flopping around on the air mattress!

Thanks to the many service men and women for this!!! It covered the entire field!!!

Brooklynn was SO bundled up, she couldn't even move her arms!

Baby Brooklynn (left) and Baby Boston (right)

Baby Boston helping Grandpa open his present!

Cooper and Easton got Matching Cars Pajamas. They couldn't wait to open the tent/sleeping bags that went with them either!

Hope all your Holidays went well...I promise to post more often in 2008!

Sesame Street May Not Be Suitable For Children

This world is getting more and more retarded. Or maybe I should say to hell with all of the stupid people that go out of their way to ruin things for everyone else!!! I don't normally post about such "controversial issues" but with this I couldn't help myself. The earlier episodes of Sesame Street are now coming with a warning label on the package that the episodes may not be suitable for children. Adults Only...LAME!!! I love how this first article ends. There wasn't, nor is there anything (other than the newer, more politically correct episodes maybe) with this television show!!! Get a life people!

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/18/magazine/18wwln-medium-t.html?ref=television

http://churchrelevance.com/warning-sesame-street-1969-is-not-suitable-for-generation-z/

http://crookedhouse.typepad.com/crookedhouse/2007/11/more-on-the-ses.html

The Results

Sorry about the delay on getting you all the results of the Gingerbread House Competition. I spent Thanksgiving weekend at the Folks' and with all the festivities, I simply forgot about it!!! Anyhow, yesterday I went to lunch with Shameonyou21, and she yelled at me for not getting it done yet, so I figured I had better do it quick before she decides to deflate my tires while I sleep or something (although she still doesn't entirely know where I live)!

The results according to the neighbor lady were as follows:

First Place-House #3. She liked the Cinnamon Bears roasting marshmallows on the fire pit, and the loved how the burnt gingerbread looked like stucco. She also gave them props cause it was twice as big as everyone else's, and they made their gingerbread from scratch instead of using a kit like everyone else. This house belonged to my sissy EK and her hubby Tater Tot (the construction worker just like Shameonyou21 thought).


Second Place-House #1. She wanted to disqualify them for the use of the illegal fake snow stuff and the plastic reindeer, but when they whined about not hearing the rules, she let it slide cause she liked the reindeer poop, and the candy cane fence. This house was the genius of my older brother Mitch, his wife Tavi, my nephew Easton, and my daddy Calvie. Easton threw a fit about how they HAD TO HAVE a fire pit too, cause Ericka and Taylor had one! There was some arguing with me and my dad over the Peeps Snowmen, and the Peeps Trees cause we both bought them, and he couldn't find his, so he accused me of stealing his and putting them in my stash. He even pulled his receipt out to "prove" to me that he bought them. I told you that us Joneses get a little too competitive for our own good sometimes!

Third Place-House #2. The lady gave the lower placed houses "other prizes" too. This one got the award for "Most Traditional." She said she felt like she was "there" or something like that. Liked the brickwork, the icicles, and the DumDums for light polls. The pretzel fence was a last minute throw together. This was MY house, and MY house ALONE! My momma helped me put up the fence and the Nerds walkway though cause everyone else was finished and mad they had to wait for me to finish. GOOD GRIEF, it wasn't as if I had a partner to work with, or four people helping me like others did!!! Anyway, thanks to all of you for your love on this one!

Fourth Place-House #5. This house got the award for "Most Original." She loved the Cinnamon Toast Crunch shingles, and the Tootsie Roll fence. Grandpa Keetch gave them the idea of the Hersey's Kiss out of the chimney...BRILLIANT! You can't really tell, but they have the log cabin theme going on the sides too. Good thing I didn't have time to make my own gingerbread logs for my cabin, or that would have been embarrassing! This house was the handy work of my little sissy Megs and her bff Gage.

Fifth Place-House #4. Aside from my older brother who is "Mister Trash Talk" everyone of us thought this house was the clear winner. This was my younger brother Brady's , and his wife Lauren's house. Brady went home PISSED, cause they lost. Mister Trash Talk didn't help matters much either. He made fun of the fact that Brady's house came in last place, after all that work they did. Then again, Mister Trash Talk also told Taylor that his house was going to get hit by a roadside bomb too, so what does he really know! Anyway, this house got the award for "Most Creative." Ya think??!! Aside from the doormat, and the swirled melted Jolley Rancher stained glass windows, you have the ice skating pond, the Frosted Mini Wheats for shingles, the Licorice Nibs for brick, and the Cotton Candy for billowing smoke out of the chimney. What more do they need??? Brady told my Momma that he hated her neighbor, and Lauren told us the other day that Brady was in a super bad mood all the rest of that night!!!

Think we take things a little too seriously??? Nah! If it weren't for us Joneses, there would be no standard for the rest of the world to live up to!!!