Fall is over and It's officially . . .

the Christmas season! I love this time of year. Today we are getting our first snow fall and it is a bit pathetic but I am hoping for more in the next few weeks so we can put that hill in our back yard to use. I did venture out on "Black Friday" to get a few good deals. Cory laughs when he says that there are few things that will compel me to get out of bed in the morning; a good deal is one of them-that is so true of me and each year I think "this just isn't worth missing the sleep and fighting the horrendous lines" and most of the time it is true, but I did get a few good deals this year.

Well, we got our official notice that we are moving to Columbus Ohio the first weekend in January; we are really excited for the change and Cory is excited to get started.


It's hard to believe that Cory and I celebrated our 5th anniversary yesterday with some exciting news, we received a few days before, that we are expecting Baby #3 this July. The news comes by way of surprise but we are really excited; we are praying for a healthy little baby. So far it is going well; it is amazing how quickly your body changes after you've had a few children; I already feel like I am getting bigger. I guess that comes with the territory. We truly feel so blessed!

Thanksgiving morning was frigid and Cory and Briggs ventured out to play football with a bunch of ward members. Cory said that he spent a lot of time trying to keep Briggs warm and happy because Briggs didn't want to go to the car. Overall Briggs did pretty good and they had a good time.

We had Thanksgiving dinner at my Brother Spencer's house and it was wonderful. Jackie and I tag-teamed the food and it was a great feast. I attempted my first-ever pecan pie and it was a hit; especially with Cory (who had never had pecan pie until this month-crazy). Briggs, Ethan, and James loved playing together and had a great time. It is definitely nice to have family around during this time of year, they also loved sitting at their little spider man table. Spencer and Cory took James and Briggs into the hot-tub that evening and they enjoyed that.

As the years pass by I realize that there are a lot of things that we do with our kids, or rather think that we want to do with them, things that sounds like it would be fun in theory (like camping), but in reflecting on past experiences we realized that it is just that "a good idea in theory" so originally we thought it would be fun to go watch the Kansas City lighting (where they light up the downtown Plaza) but as the time drew near, the kids were getting cranky kids we knew that it wouldn't be that fun to get the kids all bundled up, drive a half-hour, in hopes that they would be happy standing in the cold watching Christmas lights; so we ended up watching the "big event" on TV in the comfort of a warm house; and that was just fine with us. Overall, it was a wonderful day, with good food, and great company. Hope all of your Thanksgivings were as good.

Winter quarters/Omaha Zoo

Cory had Monday off so we decided to go to Omaha Sunday afternoon and go see some nearby landmarks. We sets our sights high that if we left after lunch the boys would most-definately sleep . . . that was so far from what happened. After 3 1/2 hours, several Jesus movies, and some cranky boys we arrived at our hotel. We went swimming and Briggs loved to jump off the side of the pool to Cory. The next morning after breakfast we visited Winter Quarters; the temple was beautiful. A sister missionary tried to take our photo and you will see that Ethan is throwing a tantrum and Briggs refussed to look at the camera (typical of what we thought was to come for the day.) After that we took the boys to the Omaha Zoo. Our favorites were the Leid Jungle, the fishbowl aquarium, the underground swamp and the gorilla's. There was a gorilla there that was the runt of them all and he was over in the corner with his leg crossed and biting his nails. I loved it! Anyway, hope you enjoy the photos, we had a great time and always it is fun to go, but sometimes it is just more fun to come home!

He's finally home

After 7 days and 6 nights (who's counting anyway) Cory is back home from Rome, New York! We are so excited to have him home. He enjoyed his time there and said that I would love it there. The fall colors are beautiful and it was quite rural (I guess he's refering to my country girl roots), anyhow, he got some great shots, so I played around with them a little and thought I'd share.

Below: An old fortress in the middle of the town. Cory was able to go inside and check it out; he said it was incredible.

Briggs' monthly Highlights

Hopefully you will enjoy these stories just as much as we do!

Are you ready for some Football?!?!?! From a letter I wrote to a friend about you: “Briggs LOVES football, it is funny because Cory always says, ‘“I always wanted my sons to enjoy football, but I just never knew to what extent Briggs would take it.”’ I think it is safe to say that he is a FANATIC. He even asks me to watch it during the day or he wants to watch it instead of cartoons. I have to pull the reins on some of that, he is a funny little boy!” You love to play football with daddy and you really like to watch the game and are very observant. One day you went in your room and got a tight fitted winter glove and asked me to put your “football glove” on your hand and you wore it the rest of the day. Also, before you “snap the ball” and run down the hall you will stand like a wide receiver with your leg forward and your arm hanging down; it is quite cute. You like to pick your own shirts out and it is usually a football shirt (I have to put them in the laundry and tell you their dirty to get you to wear anything else). We recently have been taking you to the High School football field during our family walks and you like to kick the ball and play tackle.

You discovered a fun game called Hide-and-seek in the department stores with daddy. It was like watching two little boys play; you were both having such a great time! You especially loved when daddy would come up behind you and scare you, you would just laugh and laugh. You like to help daddy when he is washing the cars or mowing the lawn. You like to use your little lawnmower and mow with him.

Just the other day you were sitting on the island and I was showing you how to make graham crackers, peanut butter, and honey just like you Grandpa Jones taught me when I was a little girl and I asked you, “Briggs, do you know where we get honey from?” to which you replied, “Pooh” (Whinny the Pooh that is).

During Halloween you liked to plug in our orange lights and village piece lights. One morning you were making the round of plugging them in and I happened to be behind you when you realized that you couldn’t reach the cord for the village lights and you shrugged your shoulders, all bummed out, and in the cutest way said, “oooh, dang it.” We laughed so hard.
One day you were watching the Living Scriptures Moses video and when it was over I asked you what you learned and you said, “that it’s not a good choice to hit.” Very good!

Highlights at 15 months!

Each month I keep a photo/journal for each of my boys. So I decided that each month I would post some of the silly things the boys do and some fun stories (they are taken from the journal and are written as though I am talking to them). I am doing this mostly because . . . well, their too fun not to share and I know their grandparents love little updates. So here is Ethan . . . 15 months!

One day we were at church and I was talking to someone in the hallway and you were in the kitchen and you had the bottom drawer under the stove open and were eating all the crusty crumbs that had fallen down; icky icky! It just doesn’t bother you to eat food off the floor; I guess if it doesn’t kill you, it only makes you stronger.

Briggs LOVES football and everything that comes along with it, unfortunately you are a little pawn in his game that he loves to knock over. You’ve had some doozy hits so you are now at the point that if he barely touches you, you will start to cry; however you are starting to realize that if you see Briggs coming towards you, if you fall on the ground before he gets there it doesn’t hurt so bad.

This is classic of my everyday. One day I heard you crying and both of you boys were in our room. I came around the corner and I said to Briggs, “what happened to Ethan?” to which he so innocently responded, “I shut the door and pushed him down.” Well, there you have it; at least he was honest with me.

One day last week you boys were out playing in back while I was cleaning the garage. I checked on you every few minutes. Well, this one time I went out to check on you Briggs was throwing sand by big handfuls into your face. You weren’t crying and Briggs thought it was funny. I felt so bad for you as you had so much sand in your hair and under your eyes that after I drained the water from you bath it looked like a mini sandbox. After I talked to Briggs he felt really bad and had been taking care of you ever since then.

If any of us have food you come-a-runnin’ and one of your favorite things to do is sit on daddy’s lap and help him eat his cereal. This is all fine and dandy until one day daddy was all dressed for work, ready to give a presentation, and running a bit behind, when you pulled the bowl of cereal down onto daddy’s lap and the floor, spilling all of the contents; he was NOT happy; but it’s kind-of funny now . . . it was kind of funny then.

Happy Halloween

We had a great Trunk-or-treat on Tuesday with our ward with a soup dinner before. Ethan spilled his soup all over cory, Briggs refused to eat his food and decided to throw a mini-tantrum, and Ethan decided to go play in the grass and ended up dripping in mud, but it is all about the experience right??? Actually it was pretty fun. We also took the boys out on Wednsday night around our neighborhood and Briggs loved it! All-in-all it was a successful Halloween!