Family Dinners

We are used to Adam being out of town quite a bit, usually at least one night a week.  However, he has been in town a whole lot the last few months, rarely traveling and we couldn't be happier about it.  Coop, Laney and I are pretty darn happy about Alcon freezing traveling budgets :).  

With him in town, we are eating dinner as a family more often and it is by far my favorite part of the whole day.  Yep, my favorite part even though I don't have a picture because one of the kids is usually unhappy about some part of it (usually the older one :)) or needs a drink, a fork, more food, a different drink...  I love having another adult to talk to since the kids are my usual breakfast and lunch companions, I love that on many nights Cooper says, "How was your day at work, Dad?" or "Thanks for making this dinner Mom, it's really good."  We talk about Adam's day, our day, and what we are going to have for dessert.  I love that it encourages me to cook 'real' meals every night instead of just throwing something together (like PB&J) for me and the kids.  

Last week I decided I was tired of all our usual recipes and hit the web.  My 2 inspirations...The Pioneer Woman and Pinterest.  From Pioneer Woman, I made this spaghetti sauce and these enchiladas.  I had leftovers of both sauces, so they are in the freezer for another time, love that!  From Pinterest (they are all on my board), I made garlic and lemon chicken, mexican chile, and quinoa stuffed peppers.  My favorite was the peppers (adam's least favorite) and I can't remember Adam's favorite.  As for the kids, I can't remember it all, they loved some and definitely didn't love some.  However, we all agreed that our favorite was the chocolate chip cookies I made for dessert e-v-e-r-y night last week!  The boys ate theirs with ice cream, I was healthy and at mine alone :).  The recipe is here.  

Here are a couple pics from the weekend.  It was pretty quiet around here, rained all weekend long. 

 Dad took Cooper to see Finding Nemo 3D so me and this little lady got to hang out.  We did something much less fun...grocery shopping in the pouring rain.

Headed home from church-2 weeks in a row we made it to 9 am mass, woo-hoo!  I realize that doesn't sound too early but with 2 kids and 2 parents that don't adore mornings, it's basically a miracle.  

Smile Fridays - week 18

Well, it's Smile Saturday again this week.  I fell asleep watching a movie with Coop last night at 9pm!  9pm!!!  I got 10 hours of sleep last night!  Can't tell you the last time I got more than 7!

Sweet Baby Hadley.  I sure would be smiling more if I was holding her instead of seeing her in pics.

Woo-Hoo! Uncle Bill just signed a new contract to keep him thru 2021-2022 basketball season!  You can see a short interview, here.  

These are hanging up outside each of the kids' bedrooms.  Kind of hard to see in this picture, but the little boy is in KU bball jersey and little girl in KU cheerleading uniform.  Our upstairs is all KU decor so when I found these shopping in Lawrence, I had to get them!  Then my sis and I found the red frames at Hobby Lobby. 

Love, Love, Loving my new iPhone!  This is my first iphone so I am pretty clueless.  Any good apps you recommend?  

Alcon Family Night at Six Flags

Adam's company, Alcon Laboratories, had family night at Six Flags last Friday.  What did this mean?  Every employee (if they wish) gets tickets for their immediate family, parking pass, and Daffy Dollars ($$ to spend).  They close down Six Flags just for us!  I should clarify that "just us" felt like a regular summer Friday night at Six Flags, it was chaos!  The little kids area was a traffic jam of strollers and lines over 30 minutes long...no thanks.  We walked and walked and walked some more, people/ride/game watched, and caught a couple regular rides.  The kids were awesome and so in awe of it all.

 100% awestruck by it all.  Adam and I both said, "imagine if this was Walt Disney World!"  Coop and Adam did one ride together.  We couldn't see it, but it was the mini mine train and the sign for level said moderate.  Adam said it was definitely the thrill limit for Coop.  He was pretty proud of himself when they got off but refused to go again with me ;).

 In line for the one ride all 4 of us rode together.  Yep, that's Doodles without shoes.  In this family if you don't walk, you don't wear shoes :).  I actually did bring them, but she just takes them off immediately.

 Our family ride was an antique car on a track that you could "drive."  Adam managed the pedals and Cooper steered.  He thought it was just about the most awesome thing he had ever done, laughed the whole time.

Doodles and I were his backseat passengers.  There's that funny face again.

We had $55 in Daffy Dollars to spend at Six Flags.  I was just floored at how much $$ they give each family to spend...seems so ridiculous to me.  We never, ever would have bought anything from the souvenir shop (because I am a boring and cheap mom when it comes to that junk) but with free money, I gave in.  Here is Laney Faith waiting on me and her brother to spend the $$.  Nope, she didn't get anything-I tried, it was all too cheesy.  Instead her brother got a M&M's lightsaber, Batman figurine and  Spiderman hoodie.

Thanks Alcon, we had lots of fun!  Can't wait to see if we get on more than 2 rides next year ;).

Funny Face

I can't remember how Laney's funny face started (I knew I should have blogged about it right away so I wouldn't forget!) but it is in full swing.  She seems to do it on command and most often when she's eating.  However, she does it at random times to random people and it just cracks us up!  We think this girl is going to have a bit of a wild side...

 This is my fave, hands down :)

A new cousin!

We couldn't be happier to welcome our newest niece/cousin Hadley Anne Zick to the world!  She arrived late last night at 7 lbs, 7 oz, she is beautiful and perfect.  We didn't officially know the sex before, but many of us (i think) were sure it was a girl!  So, on the Jones' side there are 3 boys within a year-Cash, Kellen, Cooper.  Now there are 3 girls within a year Laney, Brynn, Hadley.  How sweet is that :).  There is no place I would rather be right now than in STL cuddling that sweet baby girl and soaking up that newborn scent and chubby cheeks.  For now though we are going to have to settle for pictures and Skype. :(  

 Adam's mom thinks she looks like Cooper, I think it's the nose.  Both of my kids had the same nose...same as Adam and Maggie.  

 The happy family!

Lots of dark hair. 

We love you Hadley Anne and will be counting down the days until we meet you in October.  Huge congratulations to Maggie and Kyle-you will make fantastic parents...you most definitely have had lots of practice with all your nieces and nephews!

Bryson, Tara and Gunner Visit!

We were so lucky to have more visitors just a few days after Grandma and Aunt Alli left.  Uncle Bryson, Aunt Tara, and Gunner drove down to visit us for the first time and we were super excited for them to be here!  On our way home from the gym that morning they were arriving, Coop said, "Is Gunnie going to be there when we get home?  Did you hear that Mom?  I called him Gunnie, ha, ha!"  And from that moment on, Cooper has only called him Gunnie :).  So funny.  

Since it was their first time here we took them to some of our favorite dining spots, parks and of course, The Stockyards for Uncle Bryson.   

At the fountains in Southlake Town Square, where we hit up our favorite ice cream shop, Milwaukee's Joes.  Cooper was loving on Gunnie at all times.

We got to see some longhorns and horses up close.  Gunner wasn't turning his back on this guy, who can blame him?

 Thanks to Uncle Bryson and his quarters, the kids had lots of fun :).  And this is proof that Laney did indeed get out of her stroller during our trip to the Stockyards.

 Yep, there are those boots with the shorts.  He wears them proudly.  I let him pick one thing out in the candy shop, he chose a blow pop.

 Gunner had his first sucker and loved it!

 We'll see how he grows over the years.

 Hi Doodles!  If you start walking you don't have to ride in this stroller all the time :).

 Of course we checked out the cattle drive-such a neat tradition.  Definitely not something you see in every downtown!

 Some more love for Gunnie.

 Laney wanted nothing to do with pics that morning...

  Thanks for making the drive down to come visit us.  We had so much fun and loved having you around!  

Smile Fridays - week 17

This is overdue for technical reasons only.  I tried posting last night and again this afternoon but was getting a weird message and Blogger wouldn't let me create a new post.  Super frustrating and I spent lots of time trying all sorts of things.  Oh well, some type of magic happened because here I am :).

Sweet Gunner (and his parents :)) spent a couple days with us this week, more on that later.

Yep, we pre-ordered and had these babies delivered on Friday.  We are late bloomers to the iPhone craze.  It is awesome!  I can't believe how easy everything is compared to our android (HTC Evo) phones.  Any tips or apps you iPhone veterans recommend??  I am clueless.

The weather has been so beautiful (well, the mornings anyway) and we have spent loads of time outside this week.  It's been incredible!  

Many mornings lately Cooper and Laney have been waking up at the same time.  Cooper goes in Laney's room and sits next to her crib and talks to her.  We still have the video monitor in her room, so I can watch/listen to them.  It is just about the sweetest.  He's usually saying something like this..."Morning Doodle Boppers, Hi Doodles, Mommy will be up here soon, What do you want to do today Laney."  Her response is usually just calling for me, "Mom-ma, Mommmmm-ma."  And they are always giggling.  

Cowboy Cooper

While cleaning out Coop's closet last weekend, I discovered his hand me down cowboy boots from his cousin Nick.  We have had them for awhile and he has never been interested until now.  He was so pumped to get them on his feet and start two-stepping.  Since last weekend, he has been out to dinner in them, riding his bike, playing at the park, visited the Stockyards and lots of dancing.  He has yet to wear them with pants which may just be my favorite part.  I clearly remember (and I don't remember much these days, seriously) both of my brothers always wearing shorts and boots.  Speaking of this, at what age do boys realize this isn't how the real cowboys wear their boots and start wearing them appropriately with jeans?  I hope not for awhile, because I think shorts and boots are just about the cutest and most innocent thing.  

The first night he discovered them, he was determined to do some dancing.  I don't even remember (see, I told you, no memory) how it all started, but of course I took plenty of pics to refresh that sad memory of mine.

 We did country, Justin Bieber, One Direction...no discrimination in this house.

 How do you know it's football season?  Our tv seems to be on (and the volume very high) from Saturday morning until Sunday night.

 After a while he requested Dad and I get our cowboy boots on and join him.  Wow, how incredible is our attire?

 Good thing Dad has 2 pair of boots so that Aunt Alli could get in on the action.

 I'm telling ya, this kid has a thing for music!

Yep, that's Grandma (and Lola) in Dad's boots too!  He wanted everyone to join him.  Poor Doodles missed the party, she had been snoozing for hours.  However, she does have her own pink cowboy boots that are sooo close to fitting so once she decides to start walking she can join us :).

Thumb Sucker

Yep, Cooper is still sucking his thumb.  Unfortunately that magic thumb fairy hasn't appeared to snatch that thing away while he is sleeping.  Honestly, I really don't care.  He still seems like a baby to me. (Check back with me in a year, see if I have the same feelings:)).  It is just about the sweetest thing to see when I check on him each night.  I love that whenever he needs comfort, it is right there.  Adam was a thumb sucker for all of his toddler years.  I am sure Coop won't go to college doing it, I am also sure he probably will go to Kindergarten sucking that thumb.  And I am also sure that 99.9% of kids get braces these days, I can guarantee we will be a part of that percentage.  

However, our sweet dentist has a different opinion after seeing a bit of an overbite from his x-rays.  Coop had his check-up last week, he did awesome!  He was so brave, listened to all the staff and even did x-rays like a champ!  He did tell me while we were there, "Mom, I really like going to school but I really don't like it here."  The dentist (who is awesome and has 5 kids of his own) had an eye to eye convo with Coop about what a great day it was to stop sucking his thumb.  He even printed him out a colorful award for it.  Cooper totally cooperated, agreed with him, and was sucking his thumb by the time we made it out of the parking lot. 

Seriously, how sweet is this?

Laney likes ice cream!

Doodles hasn't taken us up on dessert until just the other night.  I was beginning to think that she didn't have a sweet tooth.  Well, apparently ice cream may just be her thing...

 She couldn't stop smiling and licking her lips. 

 We were just dying laughing at her.

Now it looks like Adam and I will be sharing our ice cream with 2 little people instead of our usual 1.

Another Fan Favorite Sale!

Just had to share the latest Facebook 48 hour flash sale!  The leona is my favorite but I wear the revival tassel the most.

Click on the links to read more about each piece...

Leona Pendant

Revival Tassel

Graceful Nomad

Playground Fun!

It was a rainy and gloomy weekend but we managed to get some time in at the playground.  We are lucky enough to have an elementary school just down the street from us that we need to take advantage of more often!  They even have a mini playground for the kindergartners...perfect for us!

 Action shot!

 Laney Faith looks so big here!

 Driving us to Chick-Fil-A :).

I love that Cooper gets so excited for Laney.  He was so happy to have her go down the slides and swing with him.