A Great Birthday Present

Daniel got an awesome birthday present from Grandmommy & Granddaddy - JENGA.  The kids brought it with us to SBR after Thanksgiving and Daniel and Daddy spent a lot of time playing each other with "help" from Papa.  

Watching the two of them play was quite entertaining for the rest of us.

Daddy choosing his block while Daniel tries to blow it over

Papa giving Daniel advice

Brian sure was surprised he got that block out

Papa and Daniel played a game before breakfast the next morning

Did I mention that Papa was not above shaking the table to win?

Jenga was a great game.  A perfect Birthday present!

Daniel has Fifth's Disease

Daniel woke up the morning of his birthday party looking like this!

We weren't sure what it was, but it looked like some sort of allergic reaction so we gave him an antihistamine.  The swelling seemed to go down, so we continued with his birthday party.  As the kids were all leaving, one of moms told me it looked like he had Fifth's Disease.  I wasn't really sure what that was, so I hit the internet to check it out.  Says it starts with generic cold/flu like symptoms and then ends with a lace like red rash beginning on the face and spreading over their boy.  I kept him home from school the next day and visited the Dr. office.  Dr. D was on vacation for Thanksgiving, but her sub took one look at him and said it was Fifth's.  

He headed back to school Tuesday proudly showing his rash to everyone.  It was everywhere.  Back of his neck, arms, chest, legs...  His teacher said it was one of the worst she'd seen. Eating lunch at school for Daniel's birthday that day I noticed many of the kids at the table with the same rash.  Evidently it hit the 1st grade hard.  That's easy to believe since they are contagious until the rash breaks out, but before that point, you don't even know they have it.  

Thankfully, you are only supposed to get it once and his rash went away quickly.  I'm not sure the girls have ever had it, but so far no rash for them.

Shopping and Sparkles

Nana took Ashley on a shopping and granddaughter/grandmother bonding trip after school Tuesday.  After several hours, they came home with 3 beautiful dresses, 2 shirts and several pairs of earrings. The common theme in everything they purchased was Sparkles.  Lots and lots of sparkles.  Ashley was very appreciative, not only of her new clothes but for getting to spend individual time with Nana.

Wednesday, Ashley had a little fashion show to model her favorite of the three dresses.

She is growing up too fast.

Full of Personality

This is the Laurie most people see... the happy, easy going, sweet girl...

However, she is also a silly, crazy, and feisty little girl.

To get the above picture, we had to go through a bit of effort...

She is a hoot!

Happy 2010 Thanksgiving!

After last year's Thanksgiving, which I never got around to blogging about, Brian and I were a bit ready for a change of pace.  Last year we hosted about 25 friends and family while I was sick with a sinus infection and Brian was suffering from food poisoning.  It was a rough day for us.  This year, it just so happened that we had a small group for the holiday.  The five of us along with Brian's parents and brother all fit at one table.   We really enjoyed the more relaxed atmosphere this year.

Since it was a small gathering, we (by "we" of course I mean "Brian") prepared all the dishes for the Thanksgiving Feast except dessert.  We chose the menu and recipes after watching shows on Food Network and reviewing recipes online.  Brian settled on his usual turkey, which is amazing, a cranberry/apple stuffing with italian sausage, chipotle sweet potatoes, green bean casserole, sourdough bread, cranberry sauce, and poblano corn chowder.  

While he was slaving away in the kitchen this morning, the kids and I headed over to Aunt Kay's house to visit with my parents and family.  

The kids and I had a nice visit with my grandmother, Merr.

After we came home, Bob & Pat and Ron arrived for the main meal.  While we were waiting for everything to be ready, Ashley put together a fun fruit and veggie turkey.  She received lots of collaborative assistance from Grandmommy but was proud to cut the veggies all by herself.  

It turned out Great!!

When Brian was carving the turkey, he came across the coveted wishbone.  Ashley and Daniel pulled for at least 3 minutes while trying to strategize the best way to "win".  

The birthday boy came out the victor in the end.  There is a bit of a rumor that his big sister might have let him "win" due to it being his birthday and all.  But, Shhh....  Don't tell him.

After a really nice and delicious meal with tons of leftovers, Gigi and Aunt Flora arrived, followed by Nana and Papa to celebrate Daniel's birthday.  See pictures of Daniel's Thanksgiving Birthday.

Sisters - Pat & Flora

Gigi with her grandsons

Happy Thanksgiving from The5Jones

Happy 7th Birthday Daniel!!

It's Thanksgiving, but it is also Daniel's 7th Birthday!   

The boy was really excited to start the day with candles in his huge cinnamon roll for breakfast.

He had a great day, spending time with lots of family today.  All week, he had been telling people that his birthday was Thanksgiving.  Taking great pride in this not so frequent occurrence.  

Daniel's Grandmommy made a wonderful cake for Daniel's birthday party last weekend and outdid herself again by making a second cake for today.  It was a devil's food chocolate cake with fudge icing.  Wow!

He picked out a ribbon saying, "Birthday Boy"at the store last week and put it on first thing this morning.  He wore it all day so everyone would remember it was his birthday.  

Daniel showing Granny Merr his ribbon today

I know many people wouldn't like having their birthday on a holiday, but Daniel really seemed to love it. He felt very special.

Nana helping Daniel read his birthday card

    He opened presents from his grandparents even before the turkey was out of the oven this afternoon.  Then again he opened more after cake, this time from Aunt Flora and Nana & Papa.

What a special boy.  Check back at pictures of him through the years here.

Laurie Soccer Pictures

 Team Jones U5

Uncle David & Brian - Coaches

Fall 2010 Soccer 

Fall Soccer for Daniel

Daniel Fall 2010 Soccer

Team Okeke - U7 & U8 Boys

Sweet Birdie

Laurie was so cute this morning playing in the hallway that I had to stop and take a picture of her.

Such a Sweet Birdie

Rock 'n' Roll San Antonio

Mid November brought us back to San Antonio for the Rock N Roll Marathon.  Shelly, her girls, my kids and I all brought our signs to cheer for Brian and Bryan in the 1/2 marathon.  This year, they were joined by Bryan's brother, Brad, for the run.  Brian worked hard on finding just the right saying to put on this year's shirts.  With Bryan's help, the front read, "In my mind, I'm a Kenyan."  The back read, "In my shorts, I'm a Texan."  I am told they got tons of comments before, during and after the race on the shirts.

Kids with one of their signs

We took this picture with my phone in the hotel room before the race and sent it via text message to Brian as he was getting ready.  We found out later, he didn't receive it before the race.

We were a little late to Mile Marker 3 because I got the time the race started wrong.  And with Brian in an early corral, we basically ran to Alamo Plaza from the hotel.  We managed to squeeze our way through the crowd to sit on the curb in time to see Brian run by.  My pictures didn't come out well since it was so crowded and I was sitting down.  But he spotted the kids and ran to our side of the street to wave at them.  He also threw us his jacket to hold onto.  The weather that morning was quite a complication.  People were over bundled and were shedding clothes like crazy at mile marker 3.  

Since Bryan and Brad were in a later corral, we had to leave Shelly and her girls at Alamo Plaza and head down to mile marker 8 on our own. 

At mile 8

This was Brian as he passed Mile Marker 8 and spotted us on the sidewalk.  Doesn't he look happy?  He always manages a smile when he sees us during a race.  We yell and cheer and make lots of noise for him.

At Mile 8

Using my phone and lots of luck, we found a good route to get us to mile 13 before Brian passed that way.  And then with even more luck, we got a place along the wall as the runners came up the long road towards Mile Maker 13.  They are running in this canyon type drive with a high wall one side and a raised sidewalk with rails on the other.  We got a good spot along the railing to watch and cheer.  Unfortunately, while we were waiting for him, Birdie dropped her sign down below on the road.  Oops. It landed on the marathon side and there weren't many people out on that side yet, so hopefully it was picked up before it got busy.  

Brian running uphill towards mile marker 13

Brian tells me he was in lots of pain running uphill here at the end with his calves cramping.  Then he saw us up there yelling for him.  It really helped him finish the race strong.  

Brian after completing his 3rd 1/2 marathon!

 We were very proud of Brian for completing another race.  We can't wait till next year.

Cameron, Brenna and Shelly congratulate Brad and Bryan

Brian ran into his fraternity brother Barry after the race

Brad, Bryan and Brian after the race

Salon Day

Birdie and I went to the hair salon to get our hair done.  It was time for my cut and color so I took Laurie with me for her own haircut.  While I was under the dryer, Kathy, my hair stylist, washed Laurie's hair, cut it and then decided to put rollers in it.  Laurie was not sure she wanted curly hair, but was a good sport because she wanted to sit under the hair dryer like me.  

Good Mommy/Daughter Bonding Time

Laurie with "curly" hair

When we were finished, Laurie was not happy that she had "curly" hair and mine was straight.  She was very concerned that mine was straight, so I just reassured her that it would be back to normal as soon as I washed it again.   Laurie's was back to being straight within the hour the curlers came out.  

I can't wait to take her back with me again in January. We had fun hanging out together.

Halloween 2010

Halloween fell on a Sunday this year and the weather was beautiful.  After lunch, we spent much of the afternoon in the back yard carving our pumpkins.  As usual, everyone gets to gut their own pumpkin, something that draws lots of "yuck" and "eewww" from all three. Each child gets to choose their own pattern for their Jack O Lantern.  Birdie was first and choose the adorable "Boo" from a pattern book.  It took Brian a while to get it just right, so I helped the other kids carve theirs. 

Daniel's first attempt

Daniel and Ashley drew on their pumpkins with magic marker and then I attempted to carve it into a Jack O Lantern.  Daniel and I's first attempt was not superb, but he like it.  Ashley's turned out much better.  

The 4th pumpkin was funny.  We gave it two teeth in front because Daniel is missing his two front teeth.  

Ashley's Jack O Lantern

Kids & their pumpkins

Birdie was thrilled that her pumpkin said the same as her pants!

Jack O Lantern with Daniel's two missing front teeth

The kids had a great time choosing costumes on the internet.  They went through TONS of costumes and chose these.  Brian and I thought they were perfect!!!

Ashley was a beautiful Angel

Laurie made a perfect Princess Jasmine

Luke Skywalker ready to defeat the Death Star in his flight suit

We trick or treated with the Batson family this year.  Everyone had a great night and came home with lots of loot.