Tuesday, September 18, 2007

Lists of 8--as requested!


8 things I am passionate about
Steve
Sydney
Asher
Jonah
Gabriel
Bridget
The Gospel
Harry Potter

8 things I want to do before I die
Tour Europe
Get fake fingernails
Dye my hair blonde
Scuba dive in Australia
Live in a foreign country and learn to speak the language fluently
See my children graduate from college, get married in the temple, and have grandchildren
Get really good at tennis
Be in a play or musical

8 things I say often
Be nice, Syd
Ash, Ash, Ash, Ash…are you listening? Ash!
Why are you crying now, Jonah?
Get down Gabe!!!
Bridgie, Baby, I’m in misery… (sung to the tune from Grease…Sandy, baby…)
Not tonight, honey (ha ha!)
I have so much to do!
Will life ever be normal?

8 books I have read recently
Stolen Lives
Wild Swan (and there is quite a story behind this! It was recommended to me by a reliable source and it turned out to be what I would consider soft porn at about page 300—no indication of it in the first 300 pages! I didn’t finish it!)
Vanity Fair (still working on it in between other books!)
Twilight and New Moon (still waiting for a copy of Eclipse)
Harry Potter 5, 6, 7
Book of Bright Ideas
(I guess this is more than 8)

8 songs I could listen to over and over
Pictures of You by the Cure
How soon is now by the Smiths
Yeah! by Usher (but not when Sydney’s around!)
The Sheryl Crow song that is in the movie “Cars” as sung by Gabe
Banana Pancakes by Jack Johnson
Yellow by Cold Play
High School Musical soundtrack (I do toning exercises to it every other day…maybe not because I want to listen to it over and over again, but because it’s in the CD player and I’m too lazy to change it!)
The religious song that I don't know the title of, but it says "My shephard will supply my needs, Jehova is his name... and later...no more a stranger or a guest, but like a child at home" My dad would know the title. Beautiful music!

8 things that attract me to a friend
Someone with a sense of humor
Someone who likes to talk about ideas, not other people
Someone who is more than skin deep
Someone not afraid of embarrassing themselves, or admitting they’re not perfect
Someone with good advice, who doesn’t preach it!
Someone with talents they are willing to share
Someone who likes good books and movies
Someone with a positive AND realistic outlook on life

8 things I have learned in the past year
5 is MUCH more than 4 when it comes to children!
Having all your friends go on a road trip without you hurts! (Because I have such fun, wonderful friends!)
Having a child who struggles in school and gets picked on by his friends huuuuurrrrtssss….unbearably bad!
Time passes too quickly!
Baby girls are fun to dress up, but I prefer bridget in onesies and jammies for cuddling purposes.
Babies are easier to take care of than pre-teens!
Never sign up to help with PTA!
Something’s gotta give!

8 random things about me
See my “100 things about me” entry

8 other people (besides the usual bloggers) I think should do the 8
My mom!
Steve’s mom
Steve
Katie
Rachel
Natalie S. (but she won’t, she doesn’t believe in reading blogs so she’ll never see this!)
Jen D.
Lisa C.

Monday, September 17, 2007

If you run out of things to pray for...

Okay, no, I'm not caught up on grading, but I couldn't resist. Yesterday in Jonah's primary class they talked about prayer and learned that when we pray we should start by thanking Heavenly Father, then asking for the things we need. Jonah drew a house for what he was thankful for, but the "I ask thee" column is a bit less conventional. When I asked him what he was asking for, he said "that I won't have to ride a bull." How many of us neglect to ask for this blessing each day? And yet, as Jonah's drawing aptly points out, look at what could happen at any moment if we were forced to ride a bull. Notice the person being flung off the bull in the top of the drawing. The bull rider may be smiling now, but does he see his certain doom? Look at the poor souls below the bull being trampled! I think Jonah's insight has taught us all a great lesson...

Sunday, September 16, 2007

Have you seen Bridget smile?

I have been so freakin' busy lately that I haven't been able to update this blog for weeks! I made myself a rule that I can't post blogs until I am caught up with my grading, but I have so many students right now that by the time I catch up it's after midnight. But since it's Sunday and I don't want to work on the Sabbath, here's a few pictures of our Bridgie girl...who cares about the other four kids, right? I know I need to stop neglecting them!!! Not quite a smile!

I love this one!













This little girl makes our lives so happy...we all love her big crooked smiles!




Monday, September 3, 2007

Baby Sara


Today I'm just practicing scanning. Here's a picture of me when I was a few months old. I was born premature (5 lbs 2oz.), but my parents managed to fatten me up in no time. My dad made "super bottles" with sweetened condensed milk, karo syrup, and I can't remember what else! The chunkiness of my children definitely comes from the Jones side of the family, though I don't really see any other close resemblances between me and any of my 5 children.

Sunday, August 19, 2007

First Week of School!!!:-)






















We finally made it through summer, and school has begun--hooray for me!

Sydney left first on Wednesday morning. Her school begins at 7:45, but she must have woken up at 5:00 a.m. to get ready--she was so excited. It turns out that her school was all she had dreamed of. She loves having orchestra and P.E. every day and being able to change classrooms every 45 minutes. She couldn't find any of her friends at lunch, but sat by some kids she knew from her old, old school--Coral Cliffs. I can't believe she's old enough to go to that school, but if anyone can succeed there it's Syd.






School was old news for Asher who has just begun third grade. When he got to class, he was disappointed to see that his best friend had transferred to another class. He will have the "opportunity" to meet new friends in class this year, but he will see his other friends at recess. He likes his teacher and is comitted to earning the "Jimmy Johns" reading award party at the end of the year.














Asher gave up riding his bike for a day to show Jonah the ropes at the bus stop.










Jonah had a Kindergarten orientation on Wednesday, but his first official day of school was Thursday. Unlike Asher, Jonah knows about have of the kids in his class already. He had no problems at all going to Kindergarten, and only wishes it were longer. He did say that he hasn't learned anything--"it's just like preschool!" Maybe they'll start teaching Latin and Calculus next week for him.

Here is classic Gabe. He felt that it should be his first day of school too, and this is what he chose to wear--no shoes, no shirt, but at least he has Bridget's newborn binkie and a backback. He waited with the kids at the bus stop and I had to have my neighbor watch him while I ran home and got my van and let him "drive" home. Otherwise I would have had to carry him and Bridget home myself. What a stinker!

At church today Gabe kept singing, as loud as he could, "scooby doo--where are you? We got to find you!" We sat behind the Griffins who have two deacon-age boys who were busting up laughing. Then, wouldn't you know it, our relief society lesson was on reverence, and the teacher was saying we should not have children wandering the aisles, going to the bathroom, etc. during sacrament meeting. On cue, Gabe shows up with his nursery leader at the classroom door with a stinky diaper and says "Hi Mom!" We had to walk down to the deacon's classroom to get Steve who had the keys to the van, and when we opened the door the boys said "Hey, there's our mascot! Scooby scooby doo, where are you?"


Well, if you're wondering what Bridget looks like right at this moment, here it is, and, yes, she's crying. She seems to want to grow up as fast as possible, and therefore eats all the time--all day and all night. She changes every day, and when I weighed her yesterday (by the weigh-myself/weigh myself-holding her/subtract the two method) she was almost 9 pounds. Good thing we are all head-over-heels in love with her!








Sunday, August 12, 2007

First Day at Church

Well, Bridget and I gave into the guilt and pressure put on us by the rest of the family and went to church today. It was hot, I was sweaty, I spent the second hour in the mothers' lounge and the third hour in the hall most of the time! But I guess since we've gone to 5 movies, a play, and a family reunion since Bridge was born, there's no reason not to go to church. It was nice to be back, in a way!

We are all certainly ready for school to start on Wednesday. We had a fun week last week with Eden, Ruby, and Rachel visiting and meeting Bridget for the first time. She is officially one month old and is growing and growing--she can now wear 0-3 month clothing.

Yesterday was our 13th anniversary! We can't believe we've stuck together that long...and had 5 kids together!

Okay, let's see how this template looks today--I'm really not happy with it and need to learn to create a new one.

Wednesday, August 1, 2007

3 Weeks Old

Our baby Bridget is now 3 weeks old. Last Friday at her doctor's appointment she weighed 6 lbs. 11 oz. and was 19 inches long. That means she has gained 11 ounces and has grown and inch and a half--way to go Bridge! Her head was 35 cm. She is in the sixth percentile for weight and height, and 35th for head circumference. The doctor says he plans to see lots of rolls by her 2-month appointment!

Saturday, July 28, 2007

100 things about me

Okay, here it is. This was very difficult for me to complete for some reason, but I think it was good to think about myself as a person--I tend to get kind of lost after having a baby. I wanted to scan in an old picture of me but I can't figure out my scanner--I'll have to do that later.

1.I have a vivid memory of things that happened when I was really young—like 2 years old. I remember falling asleep in my high chair eating a tuna sandwich. I also remember thinking the dragonflowers outside our apartment in California when I was 2 were real dragons.

2.I once sang “The Gambler” on the Las Vegas strip for money.

3. I was a delegate to the Clallam County convention for Bill Clinton, back in ‘92 when we knew George Bush Sr. would win.

4. I went to state in speech in high school.

5. I am not a great speller. My little sister beat me in the school spelling bee!

6. Math and Science were my best subjects in high school. Now I have a Masters in English.

7. I was Jr. Prom Duchess.

8. When I first moved from Utah to Port Angeles, WA, there was a rumor going around that I was a model from Europe!

9. I was a tom boy until about 8th grade.

10. I got mono in 4th grade. The worst part about it was having everyone ask me what boy I had kissed.

11. I never thought about having children and I never thought about what I would name my kids—it never crossed my mind growing up.

12. When I was young I made it a goal to one day join the Tabernacle Choir.

13. I secretly wish I could be in a musical—even just in the background because I don’t sing well.

14. I played the viola for 6 years.

15. My dream job would be to teach church history at BYU—not that I know enough about it, but I would like to learn.

16. I would also love to be a film critic, as long as I didn’t have to watch horror movies.

17.My favorite movie is “A Room with a View.” I also love “As Good as it Gets,” “Jerry Maguire,” “Anne of Green Gables,” “Pride and Prejudice,” “Sleepless in Seattle,” “Much Ado about Nothing,” “ Sense and Sensibility.”

18. My biggest regret is not being nicer to my three younger sisters growing up.

19. My greatest desire is for my kids to be kind to each other.

20. I don’t like to talk about my feelings when I am in an argument with Steve—I would rather just forget about the whole thing. Steve is the “girl” in our relationship in that respect!

21. I am almost always the last person to leave any party or social event. I draw my energy from people around me.

22. At the same time, I go crazy if I can’t be alone sometimes.

23. Steve and I were engaged four times—the last time I asked him to marry me.

24. I did gymnastics for 10 years.

25. I dislocated my elbow on the uneven parallel bars when I was 17—that ended gymnastics for me.

26. I don’t know how to whisper, and I absolutely hate it when someone whispers in my ear.

27. I don’t like furry animals. If I had to choose between keeping a dog or a snake, I’d choose the snake.

28. I love to read. My favorite books are Middlemarch by George Eliot, and The Great Divorce by C.S. Lewis. And, of course, I love the Harry Potter books!

29. When I was really young I always preferred pretending I was poor to pretending I was rich. My best friend Janan and I used to pretend we ran an orphanage for children whose parents were killed in the war.

30. We also liked to pretend we were going on a date with Michael Jackson

31. I spend too much time worrying about things I can’t control, like war, disease, disabilities, getting old, death.

32. I can’t keep a straight face when I’m telling a funny story or joke. I always start laughing before the punch line because I think I’m so funny.

33. I have run the St. George Marathon twice. The first time was when I was 29 years old, just before we moved here. I thought after I turned 30 I would be too old to run. The second time I ran it (after 30!) I ran it much faster!

34. I always wanted to live in St. George and still can’t believe we’re here sometimes.

35. I never cooked chicken before I was married.

36. I was in charge of making dinner a lot growing up—stuff like mac-n-cheese, tacos, sloppy joes, fish sticks, canned soup, grilled cheese, scrambled eggs etc. Maybe that’s why I never liked cooking.

37. I actually like to cook now!

38. I have to have a goal or deadline to motivate me. For instance, Robyn told me my homework for this weekend was to write this list. I like to put lists of goals for the day on the fridge and cross off what I have accomplished. Sometimes I write things I have already done on the list just so I can cross it off.

39. One of my long-term goals is to go to Europe with Steve. We want to start in Prague and work our way over to London. Anyone want to watch 5 kids for a few weeks?

40. I lettered in track, gymnastics, debate, diving, and academics in high school, but never bought a letterman’s jacket.

41. I was the student body vice president of my high school—Port Angeles High.

42. I was also a cheerleader for about 3 months at the beginning of 9th grade for Kennedy Jr. High in West Valley City. We moved in November of that year so I had to give it up.

43. My 9th grade year was one the hardest school year—I went from being the oldest in jr. high, to being a freshman in high school where I knew nobody and it rained all the time(though not as much as Forks which was in our stake, but then again, there weren’t any hot vampires in Port Angeles either.)

44. My parents moved back to Utah before my senior year, so I stayed with a friend’s family for my senior year of high school. Obviously I learned to like Port Angeles.

45. I haven’t been back to Port Angeles since the day after I graduated.

46. I never picked up my high school diploma. Maybe I need to get my G.E.D.?

47. Being in primary in Santa Clara was my favorite calling ever. I also loved teaching the teacher prep Sunday school class in Peoria, AZ.

48. My least favorite calling was 2nd counselor in the Young Women’s in Phoenix.

49. I have been accused of being too “churchy”

50. I was told by a Sunday school teacher during class as a teenager that I would grow up to be ugly.

51. I used to think that my big nose and freckles would prevent me from ever getting married.

52. I have been insecure about my teeth since I was 12 years old.

53. I do like my hair, though.

54. I wish one of my children resembled me. One time someone told me they knew who my daughter was right away because she looked just like me. She thought my daughter was someone else, not Sydney.

55. Most of my closest friends in high school were boys.

56. A group of junior boys “bought” me on “senior slave day” and made me wear a “legalize marijuana” t-shirt.

57. I went to debate camp and got in trouble for vandalizing the dorms. My debate partner and I thought we were "Anne of Green Gables" and "Anne of Avonlea"

58. My fondest memory from high school is the day I skipped school to go to the lake with my friends. I came home from school with a sunburn!

59. I worked for an environmental political action campaign the summer after I graduated.

60. I planned to become an environmental lawyer. Again, I don’t know how I ended up an English major.

61. I started teaching English at BYU when I was 21 years old.

62. I wrote my master’s thesis about a Quaker woman named Margaret Fell who lived in the 1600’s. She had a daughter named Bridget. Nobody in my family has read my thesis—not even Steve.

63. The day I defended my thesis was one of the highlights of my life.

64. My mom calls me “suggie” or “suggie pie” as a nickname.

65. Steve calls me “cheer” and I call him “cheeb.” We got these names from a little kid who lived in the apartments we managed when we were first married—he couldn’t pronounce our names right.


66. In high school my nicknames were “Sara Munchhausen Jones” or “Sara P. Jones” or “Joneser” (which was a negative term in my school meaning someone that stands people up—you could say “I got Jonesed” meaning “dissed,” etc.). I was also called “Brunhilde” by my German class buddies.

67. I shared my full name with a girl that was a year older than I. We had chemistry together, and our teacher, Mr. Foote, asked us every time he called the roll if we were sisters. Yes, of course our parents named us both Sara Jones. We won’t even mention that she was a 6’1” blonde state-champion shot-put and javelin thrower and I weighed 104 pounds.

68. I grew up watching and memorizing Monty Python and the Holy Grail. I still know most of it by heart. My dad also used to wake me up to watch Saturday Night Live.

69. My favorite bands of all times are Depeche Mode, The Smiths/Morissey, and The Cure.

70. The only concerts I went to as a teenager were “Erasure” and “Depeche Mode.”

72. Steve and I try to go to a musical or play for every anniversary. My favorite musical is Les Miserables (but I haven’t seen Wicked yet, and I guess I won’t see it this year either!).

73. I have a hard time doing things that I know I am not good at. That’s why my yard looks like it does—I’m afraid whatever I do won’t look right so I don’t do anything.

74. I learn best by reading. I have a hard time listening.

75. I am working on being a better listener.

76. I love to read with my kids.

77. When I was 7 or 8 I thought I was going to marry Superman

78. I dated a guy who later announced he was gay. I was the last girl he kissed.

79. I really wanted to serve a mission before getting married.

80. I want to serve at least two missions with Steve when we’re older—one to the Czech Republic and Slovakia (since Steve went there on his mission) and one to Missouri or Nauvoo.

81. Steve and I are very different, but certain traits have rubbed off on each other over the years. Steve now loves Mexican food and can analyze movies according to my criteria.

82. I now understand football and don’t eat potato chips because of Steve.

83. I have been told I look like several different famous people. For instance, people have told me I look like Julia Roberts (because I used to have her hairstyle), Nicole Kidman (I had her “Far and Away” hairstyle too) and Wynona Ryder.

84. On the negative side, I have been told I look like Sigourney Weaver (isn’t she like 65 years old?) and the scary skeleton grandma from “Pet Cemetery.” How flattering.

85. I have had my hair permed twice. Both were disastrous.

86. If I could do it all again, I would get a key to my house and wear it around my neck. We were always locked out of our house after school. My sisters and I always say the latch-key kids had it good—they actually had a key!

87.I was never boy crazy. I was “in love” with the same boy all through high school—Karl Wegman. We never were boyfriend/girlfriend, but I was jealous every time he went out with someone and he was jealous when I went out with someone. Once he told me he loved me but couldn’t stand me but thought we would get married some day—his parents wanted him to marry me. I tried to convince him not to be an atheist.

88. On one of our first dates, Steve tried to warm up my feet by blowing on them. We went miniature golfing and I wore sandals. I thought he was really nice but a bit too cheesy for me.

89. My goal is to learn to make whole wheat bread. I just bought a wheat grinder.

90. My other short-term goal is to enjoy my cute little newborn and not talk about my body weight or size.

91. My other goal is to finish this list—it is taking forever!

92. I have always had very strange but vivid dreams. Many of them are violent like horror movies or war movies, and I don’t ever watch movies that are even close to as scary as my dreams.

93. One recurring dream is about my teeth falling out, usually right before prom. I try to use rocks, cauliflower, corn, etc. to replace my missing teeth.

94. Another recurring dream is the one many have about not ever going to class (usually math class) until the end of the term and realizing that I have to take the final without knowing anything about the subject.

95. I also dream of having to choose whether or not to marry Steve. Sometimes we have several children but I’m still trying to decide if I’m going to actually marry him. I think that whole engagement thing for me was very traumatic!

96. Another recurring dream is that Steve is called on a mission again but I have to stay home.

97. Speaking of math classes, I once got thrown into a locker by a bunch of football players who were a year older because I wouldn’t let them cheat off me in math.

98. I also got thrown up against a locker by Bergen Wyseth—a big mean jock girl who hated me.

99. I think all of my children are beautiful and they are my greatest possessions

100. Steve is my best friend.

The End!

Thursday, July 26, 2007

Missing Harry Potter

I hear that "baby blues" peak at two-weeks post partum, and they certainly have for me. I made the mistake of staying up too late to finish the last Harry Potter book, and now I am so sad that the book is over, and tired, and frustrated about not being able to fit in any clothes, and sick of wallowing in a messy house but not being able to get it cleaned up. This weekend when Steve takes Jonah and Gabe will be nice--then it will be time to live in the real world again!

We had fun at the Harry Potter party. Jonah and Gabe were the cutest Harrys by far, in our opinion! I loved the book, but won't discuss it here in case my sisters are reading this and haven't finished it yet!

Steve's birthday was his best EVER--right Steve? We ended up going to McDonalds out of sheer exhaustion. I think Steve was hoping that Ronald McDonald would show up, but no such luck.

It has been quieter around here without Sydney and Asher. Surprisingly, Jonah was crying the other day because he missed Syd. I miss them too--kind of:-). Well, Bridgie is crying so I better go!

Tuesday, July 17, 2007

One Week

I was about to post more pictures yesterday when our power went out. There was a fire in Veyo so they turned off all the power to the St. George area for about 5 hours. The kids played outside in the little pool and were invited to go swimming at our neighbors house. We stayed inside and tried to keep doors closed to keep the cool air in. It did get a little toasty, but we were all perfectly fine, despite some panicky grandparents, etc.

Last night we had a thunderstorm with some precious but brief moments of pouring rain. All the kids ran outside and played in the rain.

Bridget is now officially one week old and doing well. She still visits the all-you-can-eat buffet from about 5-10pm. Yesterday she went for the senior citizen's discount and started at 4:00. After that, she sleeps until 4 or 5 am so I can't complain. She gets lots of love around here--a little too much from Gabe who has begun to realize that she is here to stay. This morning he was trying to have her to "eat my tummy." I guess he's kind of confused. He is really acting weird/naughty!

Friday, July 13, 2007

Day 4--Little Bridget

We are all surviving here. Bridget is a pretty good eater and sleeper (for now!:) and the kids are enjoying her. It sure is hot here, and there sure are a lot of people hanging out at home! I've added a few pictures from Bridget's day 4 photo shoot. We need to try again later because these are a little fuzzy.

Tuesday, July 10, 2007

Bridget Kathleen Layton

New Arrival:
Bridget Kathleen Layton arrived into this world and into our family at 7:48 AM, July 10, 2007 or in other words 7/10/07. We are all very excited about her arrival. Sydney, Asher, Jonah, and Gabe have held her and can't wait to bring her home. Sara is doing well despite being up all night the night before with contractions. I am sure Sara will write a more "flowery" blog about today's events when she can. She is beautiful.

Thursday, July 5, 2007

Asher's Baptism

Thank you to all of our family and friends that came to Asher's baptism. We are so proud of Asher and are happy to see that he is taking his new membership in the church seriously. I am posting a few pictures from the weekend, but our camera wasn't working part of the time so I would love it if any of you have better pictures to send me!

Wednesday, July 4, 2007

Independence Day!

Yes, I'm still here--no baby yet! Here are some pictures from our HOT fourth of July!

Sunday, April 22, 2007

Hi Everyone!
I've given in to peer pressure and have decided to start blogging like all the cool people do. Let me see if I can figure this out!