4th of July 2009

We had a great 4th of July this year! We had planned a BBQ with friends, but Abby was sick early in the week, so we cancelled it just in case. Abby made a full recovery and we had a great time! Kendall stayed with us and we watched the Newhope Dept. fireworks show from our front yard. Perfect for Brooke and me since we hate crowds and parking in them! LOL

Abby, Mylee and Kendall in the back of the Kubota

Great show!

We hated to see it end! We stayed outside for about 15 minutes hoping they weren't really over! LOL

We also totally loved having some pool and waterslide fun! Here is Abby and Kendall the day of the 4th. So funny in their goggles! Abby would be furious if she knew I put these on here! ha

A Little Behind?

It has been a while since I have posted so I am going to spend the next few weeks catching up! I was slow anyway because of our lives revolving around chickens from spring into most of the summer....and there was not much excitement for anyone. Then, when our flock left in August, we kind of crashed (mentally and physically). I have a ton of pictures of the things we did manage to do, and some of the kids just being the cuties they are. Abby had a birthday, started cheerleading practice and cheered at her first Outlaw football game, so I have to get caught up for that alone! Mylee is still a mess, but a cute mess, who now has hair that we can put in pigtails. Kendall is growing like a weed and can do some awsome cartwheels like nobody's business, and Reagon seems to have gone from little girl to teenager in the blink of an eye.
I am determined to do better...it's hard to gather my thoughts with a toddler...or at least my toddler. ;-)

Jillian Michaels 30 Day Dead Shred

Yeah. It's that bad. Which in the long run is good...I guess. lol

I bought this back in January after hearing how great it worked. After the first day I literally could not move without groaning. Let me back up and explain how this works. There are 3 levels and you do each one (they last only about 20 min. I know. I thought that too...) for 10 days before moving to the next level. Supposedly you are supposed to look great and loose 20 lbs.
I FF through a lot of the DVD to see how things worked...pretty basic. Jumping jacks, crunches, lunges...nothing crazy. And it was 20 minutes. I can do anything for 20 minutes. Or not. My heartrate was up after the warm-up and after 10 min I couldn't even catch my breath...even when she is yelling at me encouraging me and reminding me that I don't get a break if I want to see results in a 20 min workout. I knew that this was the best money I had ever spent and I had wasted every dollar I ever spent on gym memberships. I have spent many hours in gyms and never knew my muscles could hurt so bad until this. In less than 20 min.
I did it again the next day and I made it a little farther and did not take as many breaks, but still had a lot of work to do...and also had to add in some time to heal.
When I put the DVD back in a couple of days later, it wouldn't work! I guess it even went on strike because it had worked fine until then. I was thrilled devistated. But there was nothing I could do.
Well, a few months and a new DVD player later, I am finally digging it back out. I have put it off since I am helping Brooke now and have to be able to move, but summer is almost here and from all the reviews I have read, it does work.
If I finish the even the first level of the 30 Day Shred in a month it will be a 30 Day Miracle. ha =)

My Favorite Things (Part 2)

I baked Paula Deen recipes for Abby's bakesale all weekend. I baked Gooey Butter Bars, and two bundt cakes (including one apple cake that deserves it's own post), and a few dozen cookies. I have been using Pam for Baking for a few years now, and if you still grease and flour your pans, you are sooo missing out. A light coat of this, even in a bundt cake pan, will amaze you. Brooke is even impressed with how pretty these cakes turn out since nothing sticks at all and cleaning the pans are a breeze. Get. this. I promise it will be one of your favorite things too! =)

New Beginnings

Over the past couple of months there have been some big changes at the Jones house! Abby started school at Dierks at the end of March. She was very excited about this, mainly because she has wanted to be a cheerleader ever since Kendall started cheering for Mt. Ida and this was her chance...LOL

On her last day at Kirby, her wonderful teacher, Mrs. Mounts did the sweetest thing and sent Abby on an "errand" so her classmates could write her goodbye letters (each page had the students picture along with their note...such a good idea) that she put in a book along with pictures of Abby with her class. The letters were so funny and sweet. The pictures are the ones that are in the book since Mrs. Mounts e-mailed them to me as well.

Abby and Mrs. Mounts

Her class waving bye! Thank you to Mrs. Mounts for making this such a special day that she will have such sweet memories of!



Fast forward to the next Monday....first day at Dierks! She was really excited...I was a nervous wreck! Not only was she starting a new school but just a few days before, the daycare in Dierks called to say they had an opening for Mylee (we had been on a waiting list for several months so I could help Brooke at the farm....definately a full time job), so she started on the same day! Thankfully, Mylee's daycare is WONDERFUL and she loves it and Abby has made all kinds of friends at Dierks. The very first week if we stopped at the grocery or dollar store on the way home there was always someone saying "Hi Abby!" She loves it there and is excited about all the activities that they do. So far her only complaint is that at Kirby they got to go get a drink at the water fountain all at once and at Dierks they have to go two at a time...LOL

Getting ready to go in for the first day!

This past Saturday she took part in her first duty as an Outlaw Cheerleader...bakesale fundraiser!

She sure will make a pretty cheerleader! =)

We love you Abby and are so proud of you!

NeNe

Wanda Lee Risner Langley, age 76 of Camden, wife of the late Doyle R. Langley, died Thursday, April 23, 2009 at home. She was a Baptist.She was preceded in death by her parents, Arlin and Gussie Hargis Risner; brother, Omer D Risner; and sisters, Jessie Snell, Juanita Simmons and Opal Risner.She is survived by her daughter, Gwenda Candler and husband, Steve of Camden; son, David Langley and wife, Eva of Langley; daughter, Janet Cantrell and husband,Thomas of Camden; grandchildren, Morgan Jones and husband, Brooke of Newhope, Michael Langley in USMC and wife, Jessica of Glenwood, Nathan Langley and Rebekah Langley of Langley, Adam Candler of Camden, Andrea Cantrell of Hot Springs and Wesley Cantrell of Camden; brother, Earl Risner of Mena; sister, Brenda Oleta Looney of Magnolia; brother, Roy Risner and wife, Clara of Newhope; great grandchildren, Abigail Johnson, Mylee Jones and Ally Young.A graveside service will be held 2:00 p. m. Saturday, April 25, 2009 at Langley Hall Cemetery in Langley (Pike County). Visitation will be from 6-8 p. m. Friday at the funeral home. Proctor Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements. To sign the online guest register, visit http://www.proctorfuneralhome.com/

I cannot even put into words how much I love her and how much my family and I will miss her. My NeNe was a wonderful grandmother. She is my namesake, and Mylee's. I have so many memories of staying weeks in the summer with her in Camden from the time I was Abby's age up until I was 18 and went off to college. She made the best chicken pot pie that I have ever eaten, and I always ate way too much of her yummy Christmas fudge. As a teen, we would watch Days of Our Lives together and at night we would watch Touched by an Angel. And we always made sure we got the count on the noon news in case they called her! We visited a lot, but we mostly just liked being together and had a special connection. I would still crawl in her bed when I was 17. These are just a few of the wonderful memories that have been flooding my mind every day for the past week.

I am very blessed to have such a loving family. Not only do I have great parents, but my dad's sisters, Aunt Gwenda and Aunt Janet are the best ever =) I teach Abby songs that they used to teach me, like when Aunt Janet taught me Row, Row, Row Your Boat, and when Aunt Gwenda sang me Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious. Dr. Pepper always tastes better out of the Dr. Pepper glass, I can't imagine a Christmas without sausage balls for breakfast, and every time I eat vanilla ice cream with chocolate syrup I thank Uncle Steve, even though the scales don't...lol. Uncle Thomas took me to a football game one fall because I wanted to go to one so badly, and when I wanted a big Jr. Food Mart mug in 3rd grade because that year we were allowed to bring water to school and the "cool" kids had them, he got me the biggest neon green one that was the best in the class. Because Aunt Janet took me back and forth to swimming lessons for a week, I know how to swim. I "Rocky Docky" Mylee and I am pretty sure I heard her say "Bug off creep" the other day ;)

Even though I miss NeNe tremendously, and part of me will never be the same, I am so thankful for all the memories we as a family shared at her house. I love my home, but I think if I could bring her house to Newhope I would be perfectly happy because even as an adult I felt so much comfort and love there as soon as I walked through the door. I was so blessed to be her granddaughter.

P.S. Thank you to Adam...you were wonderful that day. Your hugs and support meant more to me than you will ever know. I think you helped all of us girls and I love you for "taking care" of us.

Happy 8th Birthday Kendall Elizabeth!

Hope you have a great day! You are such a fun daughter and sister! We love you!!!

Dad, Morgan, Reagon, Abby and Mylee

**Note: The first few were pictures of pictures, not polaroids that were taken in the early 80's (as the color would suggest)..lol..adding scanner to my wishlist! =)

Easter Weekend 2009

We had such a fun Easter Weekend! This was a welcome change from the previous two weeks when Mylee and Brooke had been very sick with an awful cold that gave them both ear infections!
Reagon, Kendall, and Reagon's friend Cassandra spent the day with us on Saturday so we had a house full of girls! The big girls got a break when I took Abby, Kendall, and Mylee to the Newhope egg hunt. This was Mylee's first egg hunt (she was only a few months old last Easter) and she meant business! I didn't even have to tell her what to do. She would not even look at me to take a picture. LOL

I finally got her to take a break so I could get some pictures of her face!

Waiting on the prizes after the hunt! Mylee was not in picture mode at all...this was one of about 5 attempts!

Back home the younger girls got their turn on the 4-wheeler!

Mylee followed the big girls around all day! She loves the attention!

Reagon and Cassandra

We had the best day and I had a fun ride to Mt. Ida with them that evening. After having our house full of girls and all the talking and giggling and running around I think everyone was ready for a good night's sleep and was looking forward to Easter Morning.

Max was tired most of all....

(He really sleeps like that. lol)

I Wanna Be Loved By You

Mylee has particular things that she likes and there are NO substitutes! LOL When she was a tiny baby, she would instantly spit out her passy if it was not the one she wanted...and she still does. There is only one blanket that will do--her blue silky (she has always liked this, but it has recently turned into a really, really big deal).
And last but not least, there was only one song that I could sing that would always stop her tears. No other song would work. We tried. I have sang it to her a million times =) She is starting to grow out of this so I wanted to put the video of the song on here. It is from one of my favorite old movies that I used to watch over and over when I was little, Three Little Words, which stars Fred Astaire, Vera Ellen, and Red Skelton. Such a good movie (I love old movies from this era--hate westerns--but love these old musicals).
BTW, the actress in this scene is Debbie Reynolds and this was her very first movie role.
Hope you enjoy it as much as Mylee did! LOL

These are a few of my favorite things!

The Sound of Music is one of them...LOL

There are very few things that I will endorse whole heartedly, so I thought I would occasionally post some of my favorite things that I "can't" live without! (ha)

A few days ago after a good shopping day with Abby, I didn't think my day could get much better. I was wrong! You wouldn't think one brown box from the UPS guy could bring a girl so much happiness, but if you could smell the candle that I knew was waiting inside, you would understand!

I love love love candles, especially during fall and winter, because the cookie, pumpkin, spice and holiday scents just make my house feel so warm and cozy and there are so many choices that fall into this category. Bird of Paradise by Circle E is my summer/spring candle and my favorite of all time. I have bought one every spring since 2005. It's their most popular candle (for good reason) and when I light it the entire house smells wonderful. It's very creamy sweet, but still in the "cozy house" category. Can't even describe it. I told Brooke he could get me only this every single Valentine's Day and I would be perfectly happy. I also bought the Pear Essence candle and it is wonderful too. My favorite "warm weather" candles by far are made by this company. (My favorite "cold weather" candles are Yankee Candles) If you are a candle lover, you have try them out (especially this one)!

Who doesn't love a Magic Eraser? I go through the house with this in hand just looking for things to use it on! Thank goodness these came out when Abby was about 2 and would color on the walls! I was one happy mom! I have made tennis shoes look like new...tea stained the counter? No problem! I have made our pizza and metal baking dishes sparkle like new!

Best thing ever!

As much as I hate to spend extra, expecially on myself, there are a few things that are so worth it. This is one of them. I first discovered the "no shave gel" razors back in 2002 with the Shick Intuition but this version is my favorite.






I really don't have much to say about this except it's on the top of my list of my favorite things for my hair. I have a long list of hair products and could not go out in public without the help of my Chi iron. It's hard to scrimp on hair products when you highlight your hair like I do because it can get so damaged, so I'll save that list for another time! Thank goodness for ebay where I recently discovered I can get most of this at about half the price!