Happy Holidays 2010

Happy Holidays 2010

Here we are at another year's end about to write another Holiday newsletter! Wow! That went by fast! The biggest family news of this year is 1st--the marriage of our #6 daughter Vanessa to Mr. Nolan Hatch, 2nd--the birth of our #1 grandSON Sawyer Robert to Heather and Zach Kelsey and 3rd--the impending birth of our #6 granddaughter Camryn Brooke to Jessica and Justin Pollard. What could be more fun than adding family members to your posterity?!! We have 7 of our 11 children married with 4 to go. We have 6 beautiful and sweet grandchildren with one on arrival any day now. As you can see from this family picture taken at the Provo, UT temple in October that our family is down to 2 kids at home. Actually, Bethany moved back home as of Dec. 1st due to the tough economy and the need to get back on her feet. We don't mind because she keeps us from looking too "frumpy" with her beautician skills although she claims to only be a beautician, NOT a magician! (Sassy girl!) You will be able to read about all our other children through their blogs (hopefully) so we will only update you on the 2 in the picture and us (the parents!). Natalie is a junior in high school and smart as a whip. She studied her brains out to win an all expense paid trip to Washington DC set for June 2011! Awesome!!She enjoys reading and flirting with the boys in her high school classes! Weston is a high school freshman who grew 7 inches this past summer and is now almost 6 feet tall. One more inch or so and he'll be taller than his dad and brother! He can play basketball more easily now if only his legs would quit aching due to shin splints or knee problems from growing so fast! He has also taken up skateboarding and can do several cool tricks with coordination and balance! Kelli continues to work at the school teaching preschool. With 33 students split into 2 classes, she only works "part-time" (ha, ha, ha). In her spare time she works with the kids in our ward and also enjoys knitting (yep--she's old!), crafting and organizing. Craig is in his 8th year at Open Text killing computer bugs and in his 4th year as bishop of our ward. This time of year is very busy for him, so guess who is writing this?!!! He doesn't have any spare time, but when he thinks he does, he likes to work on old junker cars that should be painted yellow!!

We are thankful for our friends and family. We are especially grateful for our Savior who came to this earth to show us how to love as we celebrate this Christmas season. We Love You!!

A Fall Trip to Utah and Idaho

The 4 of us(Craig, Kelli, Natalie & Weston) decided to travel (by car) to Twin Falls via Queen Creek, Cedar City,Provo, Salt Lake City & Bountiful to visit the Kelsey and Hurd families. We left Friday 10/8 in the afternoon and visited with the Pollard family in Queen Creek. We had fun teaching Bryn the phrase "Who ya gonna call?. . .Ghostbusters!!" Saturday we drove as far as Cedar City, Utah and spent the night. Sunday took us to Provo where we walked around the BYU Campus and drove through all Craig and Kelli's old haunts when they were students there anciently! We then went up to Bountiful where we stayed with Uncle Tom & Aunt Jan Jones and enjoyed their company and lots of fun Halloween decorations! Monday we went to Temple Square in Salt Lake City and played "tourist"!! Here we are at the top of the Conference Center looking down at the temple and grounds. The 2nd picture is us in front of the huge skylights on the top indoor floor of the CC. They were beautiful!

Tuesday morning we drove up to Twin Falls just in time for Mallory's 4th Birthday party! We got acquainted with all 5 of our grandchildren who live there and got to meet our newest grandson, Sawyer. Tuesday through Friday were spent playing with grandkids, eating Heather and Rachelle's yummy creations, going Bowling and to "Hop to It" and to a corn maze, playing pool on the back porch, playing softball in the backyard, going swimming, and just generally "hangin' out" and enjoying each other's company! Here is Rachelle and Ellie just chillin' One night we made caramel apples! Here is Sydney with her creation! Delicious!

Ellie and Mallory enjoy a swing!
Grandpa naps with Ellie on the giant beanbag!

Ready, Set, . . . . .GO!! Last one through the corn maze is a rotten scarecrow!

"I hear monkeys!!" Mal kept saying!!

On Friday we took a sightseeing trip to the Twin Falls on the Snake River and enjoyed seeing them even though they weren't running very high. Rumor has it that at certain times of the year, the runoff is so high that a person standing where we were in this picture could feel the mist of the waterfalls! Cool!! (Weston just ate a fly!)

Grandpa Jones gets to know his first grandson, Sawyer Robert Kelsey

We all had so much fun! Thanks Kelseys and Hurds for the fun times and great memories!
Saturday we drove as far as Las Vegas, spent the night and then Sunday 10/17, we drove home to St. David where our dogs Cocoa and Noelle were anxiously awaiting our arrival! We fell into our own beds greatful for the experiences we had just had.

Our First GrandSon!!

We Have A New GrandSon

{The count now is 5 granddaughters (with 1 due in Dec.) and 1 grandson}

Welcome to Sawyer Robert Kelsey!!

born 9-15-10

by C-section because he was breech!

weighing in at 7 lbs.

21 inches long

The New Family

Big Sis Sydney

Big Sis Mallory

Here He Is!!

Isn't he cute! We think he looks like a combination of his two older sisters! We can't wait to meet him in person!

Man Stuff

OK, take a good look at this photo cause this baby is going to get painted--finally!!! (And yes, it is going to be painted lemon yellow in honor of it's status as a LEMON!)

This month's title is "Man Stuff" because Craig has been working on cars nonstop and has been up to his elbows in grease. So this month's blog is dedicated to him and his passion for mechanic work! This photo shows him BEFORE he started to work on any cars! Notice--no grease!



This is a silly picture of Craig that was taken when he was just a babe. Somehow he got that one finger up to his eyebrow with that surprised look on his face like he is thinking, "oh no, someday this photo will be posted to my blog--I know it!!"

AAAHHH...sweet bliss after a day of mechanic-ing! Gettin a shiatsu backrub on the "daddy chair"!

The long shot---snoozin' after hard workin'

Cocoa is taking a break with him!

Doesn't he look relaxed?!

Thanks for all your hard work, willingness to get greasy and for all the $$ you've saved us over the years!!! We Love Ya!

A Tribute to Teddy

9-4-96 to 8-12-10

Some of his nicknames were: Teddy Bear, Rascal, The Character, Padfoot, Bear-Bear, & Stinky

He was always the defender--on the lookout for any stranger coming into the house so he could bark and growl and make himself seem larger than he really was!

I love this profile of him--it shows how proud he could be yet sweet at the same time.
This silly puppy loved to mess up throw rugs and then make himself a little bed in the mess!
He was a good, loving companion who gave his kisses freely.
We will miss him greatly.


We Love You Teddy!

Crazy Kids!

What have we been up to this summer?? Well, here are a few pictures to satisfy your curiosity!

Here is our lil' cowboy cousin posing! Can you guess who he is?

This is one of our crazy family photos taken at Weston's 8th grade graduation and Elise's 12th grade gradution!!

Ok, so one time when Weston was a little bored this summer. . . .


If we've told them once, we've told them twice. . .

NO MORE MONKEYS JUMPING ON THE BED!!!

(Busted!!!)

Hope you are having a fun summer!

(Oh, and if you are a Jones or Hansen kid reading this--update your blog!!

Some of them are 3 months old!!!)

More Summer!

Some bittersweet moments from our summertime.

Jess and Beth with their former stepfather Kevin--

a meeting of forgiveness and healing.

Kevin, Kalin & Kelsen reunited.

Kevin, Kelsen, Jessica, Bethany, Kalin, Kelli

we met for a sad event--Kiersten's funeralin Simi Valley, CA

Sometimes Summer is Fun!

Bryn snugglin' in grama's bed with her big teddy bear and a soda--what could be better?!


Actually snugglin' with Grama! That's what could be better!!

GRANDKIDS ROCK!!!

Summer in Southern Arizona!

A Corny Poem

by Kelli

Summer in Southern Arizona is always hot,

sometimes the clouds come through and then it's not.

We love it when the clouds bring rain,

But then we get muddy streets--what a pain!

I guess the weather never makes us happy,

So why do we live in Arizona? Cause we're all a little daffy!

A Monsoon is A'Brewin'

Grama Higgi gettin' some lovin' from Natty, Leesy and Beth

The Jones family "unposing"

The Jones family "posing"

Can you tell the difference????

Summers are always crazy at our house. Weston just turned 14 and went on a "High Adventure" trip with the teacher's quorum to Roosevelt Lake. He jet skied, water skied, fished and camped for 4 days. Now he thinks he is a pro water sports dude!! (He probably IS better than any of us--but don't tell him that!!) Elise is getting ready to move to Thatcher to start her first year of college! Go Elise!! Natalie is writing a book which she hopes to finish by the end of the summer. Get ready to read! Kelli is catching up on all the things she put off during the school year and poor Craig STILL has to go to work every day. We feel sorry for him but are glad he is willing to do it! June is almost over and that means 1/2 of summer is already gone :-( How does it always go sooo fast??!! Enjoy what's left of yours everybody!!

7 down, 4 to go!!

Vanessa and Nolan Got Married!

April 29, 2010 @ 4:30 pm.

It was a beautiful wedding and a beautiful day!

Vanessa poses with the 5 grandgirls in their special dresses Aunt Rachelle made!

The Whole Gang on the Mesa, Az Temple steps

A New Family Picture

Seven Down, Four To Go!!!

And as an extra sidelight--there are 2 more grandbabies "in the oven" due to arrive before 2010 is out!!!

#5 Granddaughter Arrives March 29

Little Elliotte Joy Hurd made her arrival into this world on Monday March 29th! We are so excited to meet her when the Hurd family comes down for Vanessa's wedding at the end of April. Speaking of the wedding, Nolan Hatch will join our family when he and Vanessa are married on April 29th. 2 additions to our family with 1 month--that's awesome!! We are excited to see all of our family as all the Jones and Hansen kids are expected to come for the wondrous occasion! Even Grama and Grampa Jones are flying in from CA!!
We are dilligently trying to fix up our back yard for the reception but the weeds are trying to take over! Maybe the guests won't notice the weeds with all the sparkly lights and pretty wedding decorations! Our next post will include some family reunion & wedding pictures.
Happy April to everyone!

We Have Grass!

After 2 backbreaking days of hard labor, our backyard finally has grass (no, you can't hide your weed in there!!)! Thursday 2/4 night at 8:30 our sod arrived from the Phoenix valley. We were supposed to get it the week before, but we'd had so much rain that it was too wet to harvest---so we had to wait a week. Craig took off work Friday and Natalie volunteered to skip school so those 2 and Kelli worked on putting the sod down until it was too dark to see anymore. On Saturday, Craig and Kelli finished up the job as all 3 kids had "prior comittments" and couldn't help. It's being watered 3 times a day for a total of 45 minutes and it had BETTER stay GREEN since it is winter grass overplanted on summer grass! WE ARE EXCITED!! The dogs love it too!

It's 2010!!

Happy 2010!!
The week after Christmas we traveled to So. Cali to visit Grandma and Grandpa Jones in Canoga Park. It was a very fun visit especially for Elise who hadn't seen her G & G or her Cali friends in over 6 months. As usual, Grandma Jones had some delicious homemade chicken noodle soup ready for us when we arrived at their house at about 7 pm on Sat. Dec. 26th! YUMMY!
On Sunday we went to church with G & G and Elise connected with a few of her church friends and Natalie and Weston got to meet them. Later that evening we got to visit with Warren and Lynn, Brad, Lindsay and Sam when they came over to have dinner with us.
Monday we took a drive through Topanga Canyon to the ocean. Elise wanted to take some senior pictures in a natural setting, so we brought the camera. It was wonderful to smell the ocean breezes again. I decided that I need a yearly vacation to the ocean/beach to get rejuvinated! Here are some pictures from the beach.






Elise and the beautiful pacific ocean.

Natalie enjoying the sand and surf!

3 Joneseys lovin' life. Who is the tallest now??!!

Kelli wasn't feeling her best, but she enjoyed being at the beach from the car!

On Tuesday we went to California Adventure and spent a whole day there. The first ride we went on was the whitewater rafting one and we all got wet, but Kelli and Elise got the wettest--yuck! It took us all day to totally dry out! Later that night, Natalie and Kelli even rode the Tower of Terror and lived!! (yes, they thought they were gonna die and were surprised when they didn't!!) Weston, Elise and Craig went on the fast roller coaster that shoots the riders out at 5o mph. They said it was "no big deal"! Weston and Elise rode the Maliboomer and came back with green around the gills but they wouldn't admit it!! All in all we had lots of fun and don't need to go back for another 5 years!

Wednesday found us helping G & G get their Christmas decorations down and put away. While we were doing that, Elise and Natalie went with Elise's friends Raul and Jason to "hang." It was a rainy day but they went to a park and hiked a hill to see the view from the top anyway. Both girls came home with muddy shoes and pants and lots of fun stories to tell!

New Years Eve was spent playing card games with Brad, Vicky, and Sam. Elise and Natty went to a dance in Arcadia with some Young Women friends and had a blast. We all stayed up till midnight and then listened to all the gunshots going off in SoCali! We didn't dare venture outside, but enjoyed the "festivities" from grandma and grandpa's warm, cozy home!

Friday, we drove back t AZ to get ready for the groundbreaking of the new St. David chapel and then work and school--the vacation's over!!