Black Friday

After much debate we (The Boy and I) decided that we wanted to REALLY tone down the "gimmes" that most kids around this time of year. I understand the excitement that comes from thinking of owning every single toy in the ToysRUs catalog, but seriously do you need even a fourth of that - we think not.

As parents it's our jobs to ensure that they appreciate the things that they have in life. Even the smallest things like hot running water and a warm comfy bed to sleep in. Since we want our girls to understand that they do have a pretty good life, we think they need to understand that they ARE NOT going to get everything handed to them. Or gifted to them wrapped in brightly colored paper with festive bows on top.

We decided on 3 presents period this year. Good enough for Jesus, good enough for the Jones'. :) We braved the Black Friday crowds and set off on our mission of sale mastery. Beth and I decided that we were going to be splitting up this year, and would each be taking our others with us. Hmmmmmmm...

The Boy is used to the "magic" of Black Friday, Beth's husband gave us crazy looks as we ran frantically walked at a quick pace through stores grabbing our goods and rushing to check out as quickly as possible. He didn't understand the fundamentals that go into this type of extreme shopping and how you MUST learn the layout of each store and MUST have each stores deals memorized. I'm happy to announce that he made it out alive, but I'm not sure that he'll return for a second go around next year. The Boy on the other hand will be there with bells on and elbows out. His favorite part of Black Friday is not shoving people out of the way, and running past them to get the last whatever we happen to be after, okay maybe that is his only reason for loving it. Whatever, I need him to help me get through the doors, lol!

After visiting 6 stores before 6:15am we were done. Whoo hoo! Earliest year ever, we actually got into bed when it was still dark out. We slept for a few hours stopped in at another store to grab some things for my Grandma, then headed to get the kids.

We decided to drop into the Goodwill since The Boy seen a sign waiver outside of one announcing their 50% off sale for Black Friday. Ummm, yes, thanks we'll be there. Of course we didn't get there until it was almost closed but we managed to grab a few things for less than 10 bucks. The Boy made dinner - aka he bought pizza.

Closing the day with a snuggle under my favorite blanket (bought at a previous Black Friday sale) with my favorite boy. Oh how I love days that are so much fun!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Sometimes it's hard to remember that we are thankful for all those people in our lives that make us crazy. Yes, I'm including the kids in that one. I am thankful that they make me a better person, that they wrap their tiny arms around me when they're sleeping at night and that they listen to my words the first time about half the time. :)

While we're together this wonderful holiday I will be concentrating on all the things that they do that make me thankful for their sweet smiling faces. I will totally ignore that they are not wearing the outfits that I picked out, instead choosing a play shirt with a hole and old jeans. Really in 20 years will that matter, NO! They're not going to remember whether or not they matched perfectly or care for that matter right now. All that really matters is that we are together and happy.

So we're off to my Mom's to gobble down turkey and pies. We LOVE food in our family so this is definitely one of our favorite holidays! Besides what better way to work off calories than to SHOP! WHOO HOO I love Black Friday!

Stop 1 - Mom's to eat and be joyful with the family.
Stop 2 - Meet up with my friend Beth to plan our attack on the stores!

Learning New Bloggie Things

Since I'm a newbie blogger I have no problems saying that I have no clue how to do this whole blogging thing. Good thing I'm a "jump on in" after testing the waters for a long time kinda girl. I have lots more things that I'm planning on to make this place what I want it to be, it might be a slow process since my "free" time is limited, but it's coming!



One of the places I'm learning SO much is over at kevin & amanda {blog}. Such a wealth of knowledge there! Seriously you should check it out, you might just learn something new!



PS. Totally not saying any of this for any reason other than I truely feel like their site ROCKS!

50 Little Known Facts About Us

So many of the blogs I read are doing this right now, I thought I'd jump on the bandwagon and toss mine out there too. Yep, totally copying them. ;) Okay not totally since I'm doing the family, and they did themselves. I'm boring, I don't have 50 things about just me. :)

1. My favorite color is emerald green. For some reason most people think it's purple, I have no idea why though, I don't even own purple stuff.

2. I lived in the south until I was 9, and there are times when I miss it. Don't get me wrong, I don't miss the bugs, humidity or other nasties but I do miss it.

3. I've been on the West Coast for practically ever now, and still root for a southern college football team - ROLL TIDE!

4. I give my kids cupcakes or left over pizza for breakfast when they ask for it, simply because it's easy.

5. I almost never shave my legs.

6. I don't wear shorts. See #5

7. I love to write. It's my thing, which is why it's so hard to understand when other people don't like it.

8. I strongly dislike math - I mean STRONGLY. Not in my top 10 favorite things to do for sure.

9. I love making list. Seriously it's like an addiction, my husband laughs at me.

10. I love shooting families, but don't like weddings. I know, weddings are "money makers", but they are also incredibly stressful and make my stomach hurt.

11. I didn't start driving until my husband and I started dating. I was 20.

12. I've known my husband nearly half my life. (HOLY COW!)

13. I sometimes get a little joy out of the stupid comments I get when people find out we homeschool.

14. I get that same joy out of the stupid comments they say when they find out how many kids we have.

15. I don't think that we are a "huge" family. Seriously, there's only 7 of us.

16. I would totally have another child if my husband wanted to. Without question, I would do it.

17. I didn't drink on my 21st birthday.

18. I got into my first car wreck before I had my license. Yes, I know, bad. No one was hurt, except my car that was purchased one month to the day prior.

19. I'll totally look you up on the internet to see if I can find anything else out about you.

20. I have no sense of direction. None. It's really bad.

21. The Boy has an amazing sense of direction and always knows where he is.

22. The Boy also was born and raised till 8 yrs old in the south.

23. The Boy took the blame for my 1st car wreck. Ouch, yeah, he did. LOVE HIM!

24. I only dated one boy that didn't have blue or green eyes, ever. Seriously that was one of my things. The Boy has beautiful blue eyes.

25. I moved out of my mom's when I was 15.

26. I met The Boy a few months later, online.

27. I cried when The Boy told me he was moving away when I was 16, even though we weren't dating.

28. I dyed my bangs pink and blue stripes when I was in 7th grade.

29. I have a crazy obsession with fun socks. I only wear fun socks, but I don't like them because they're too thin so I wear regular Hanes under them.

30. I didn't want any boys. I mean it, and I don't care if it sounds mean. I truly only wanted girls. Of course I would have loved my son greatly, but my girls are my world. Love them to pieces.

31. I wouldn't mind a boy now. Seriously, I know. It took a long time, but I'm now ready for a boy. Problem is The Boy is done now.

32. I wanted to be a nurse before I had kids. I love medically stuff, lol - like that technical term!

33. I'm a little freaked out that I haven't accomplished my "list", you know the one that you set for yourself. I had one that I set for myself to finish by the time I was 30. I'll be there in a few months. The list isn't complete. I'm trying not to stress about that one!

34. The Boy would make a fantastic football coach. I'd totally move to a smallish town (hey a girl has to have options on where to shop and let's face it small towns have very few options) to let him full fill that one.

35. I never wanted to be a stay at home mom. I love it now. At least on most days.

36. Beanie broke her nose when she was little. How - jumping on her bed. She hit a shelf that was above it and the shelf fell on her nose. I'm guessing the little toy she was trying to get to wasn't worth it.

37. I don't think that all babies are cute. I said it. Hey I'm not being mean, Baby Big Girl look quite alienish when she was born. Totally had to do the if you don't have anything nice to say don't say anything at all thing when I seen her the first time.

38. I would love a big ol' plot of land so I could have all kinds of animals. I want chickens, The Boy says no.

39. I'm super crafty but can't for the life of me figure out how to crochet or knit.

40. I have the attention span of a goldfish. It's okay, you can laugh. I would.

41. I sometimes have to hold back a laugh when the kids get hurt in some stupid way. It's a little mean, but sometimes it's super funny. Of course I see if they are alright first.

42. I blog because I suck at baby books. Never even bought one for Baby Big Girl because I knew I'd never use it.

43. I love swimming in the ocean.

44. I'm a cold person. I wear thermals almost everyday from November until March under my jeans.

45. The Boy is a hot person. It's practically unheard of for him to wear long sleeves.

46.

Nanners can do the splits. Both ways. She's been able to for as long as I can rememeber. She just did it one day because she seen a lady on TV do it.

47. My girls still sit and play dolls together. Even the big girls play. They of course are usually the Mom's or whatever else the leader is, but they play.

48. My girls love shoes. I have no idea where they get it from, but they adore them. The Boy doesn't understand why they have so many.

49. I once let Nanners and Spunky Girl eat peanut butter and jelly for dinner every single night for a month. I knew they'd eventually eat something else. The Boy called a stop to it after a month.

50. If we could do it again, The Boy and I both agree we would rather not have as big of a ceremony and take a double honeymoon instead.

Preteens Make Me Wanna Scream

Yes, I said it. No lovey love over here right now. This has been quite the last few months around the Jones household and Beanie has been quite a lot of the drama. You see she's now at the "I'm the smartest person ever" stage with a little "I'm the biggest so I'll bully you into doing what I want to do" sprinkled on top.

Now don't get me wrong, she is an amazing older sister. She is helpful around the house, great at finding things (super important here!), loves to read to her sisters and welcomes the chance to make pancakes while I check emails and do blog stuff. However this past few months have been just awful, she's defiant, she talks down to the other girls, she acts like they are too young to understand anything, etc. I understand it's part of growing up, especially growing up the oldest of five children, but COME ON! Seriously I may rip my hair out and scream if this doesn't stop soon.

School Awards

As most people know we are a homeschool family, our children attend a charter "cover" school and we do the teaching, planning, etc for them and with them. For our family this works well, and before I get any hate mail let me say that my first two years of homeschooling were done on my own with my private school avadavit. So I have done it both ways, all three if you count the 3 years that Beanie went to public school.

Well as a homeschool family it's easy to second guess yourself and make yourself feel like maybe you're not doing something correctly. That you're somehow ruining your children's lives. That they will never be like "other kids". That they will hate you when they're older because they never ate lunch at the big table in the loud cafeteria. Realistically we know that deep down this isn't likely and that our kids are doing great, etc, but it's easy still.

This year our school did something extra special, they held an awards ceremony for our students that achieved either proficent or advanced on their STAR testing. If you've never been to a homeschool awards show, let me tell you that these are a HUGE deal. We actually had some parents drive over 2 hours with kids and family in tow to see their little smarties few minutes of fame. We invite grandparents, we create a FULL house. :) It was so nice to see all the excitement from the kids, even those that weren't getting an award. They were just happy to have someone they knew up there.

Each child had their name announced and shook our princepals hand, then walked across the stage and stood while the rest of their grade level was announced. They beamed while when they had their moment and it was wonderful!

Meet the newest member of our family

JAXON MOSES!!!

Don't laugh because my cat has a first name and a middle name, lol. Okay it's a little strange, but let me explain. We really liked the name Jax, in fact it was on the list for Jupiter, until we really seen his markings and decided the swirls on his back legs looks like Jupiter the planet. I liked the idea of giving him a biblical name since he was abandoned at a church. This led to some discussion and debate amongst the family and the name Jaxon Moses was born.

Gambit is none to happy with the new addition, but Jupiter is very excited to have someone to play with. Jax isn't much of a play mate right now, he's a little overwhelmed with the changes in his life right now. We just picked him up yesterday and he was terrified on the way home. He actually spent a the first few minutes on the dashboard until he realized it was safe to come down.

He has a very loud meow, and woke us up this morning about 3:30am, I think it was because of Gambit. He had made it to the kitchen, but he couldn't get back to the room because Gambit was in his way. Being the loving mommy that I am, I tried a bazillion things first including showing him where the little box was and getting him something to eat and drink. Finally I realized he just needed to be picked up, so I carried him back to the bed. He greeted The Boy this morning before he left for work and he seems to really like him. That's AWESOMELY FANTASTIC since we had to do a lot of begging, borrowing, and bartering to get Jax. :)

Welcome home Jax, we are so happy to have you!

Baby Big Girl is 3!

It's officially happened folks, we have NO babies in our house. I'm totally crushed excited! The baby, who changed her own name to Baby Big Girl (since she wears big girl panties and all), is practically all grown up. ::tears:: Okay, so that's a bit dramatic, but seriously this is our last baby!

With her birthday landing on a Sunday, we went to church as usual. The entire congregation sang her Happy Birthday as Pastor Neal held her proudly up in front. She loved it! Totally loved it!

Since it was Halloween after all, we did go Trick or Treating. A few friends and Old Grandma came along. Baby Big Girl dressed up as Thumper and proudly told everyone whenever she remembered that it was her birthday.

In keeping with our families tradition of the birthday girl choosing what we have for dinner we allowed her to choose. Of all places she chose McDonalds, lol. Well what the birthday girl wants, the birthday girl gets. Off to McDonalds we go. For this special occasion I ordered her a Happy Meal. After I ordered it, I realized that this was her VERY FIRST Happy Meal. She was totally thrilled with her new toy and has played with it since then.

Well Baby Big Girl I hope your day was as delightful for you as it was for me. Happy Birthday my sweet little angel, I love you!