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1 Feb
It’s a New Year!!!
It’s A New Year!
All three of the girls have grown like weeds this past year! Ava is 7 and in 2nd grade. She loves to read and is excelling in her school work! She is very active, running track all summer and taking ballet and tap dance during the school year, she definitely keeps us on our toes!
Leora is 5 and loves Kindergarten. She is writing very well and is thriving in her class. She is taking ballet and tap as well and both of the older girls are becoming quite the little ballerinas! Leo is our fashionista and has definite opinions about what she wears.
Ellis turned 2 this year and is giving our whole family a run for our money! She talks up a blue streak and can tell you exactly what she likes and dislikes. (this is a good and a bad thing!) She loves playing babies and Elmo and looking at books, sometimes for an hour straight! Her energy is endless, it seems and she keeps right up with her older sisters. One of here favorite games is “You the baby, I the mom” where she proceeds to feed you, comfort you and put you down for a nap. If only the nap was real!!!
After reading the story of Joshua and Jericho the other day, Leo said during lunch, “I think I’m gonna shout our house down today” to which Ava replied, “don’t do that or we won’t have anywhere to live”! I had to admire their faith! They are all a constant source of comedy and inspiration! Each of them is so individual and amazing, Kate and I find ourselves struggling to keep up with the fast pace of our wild, fun, intense, imaginative and energetic family!
Kate continues to amaze me! Not only does she do an incredible job as a mom to this brood, she also has started teaching a high school class at the Co-op school that Ava and Leo attend two days a week! She is our Wonder Woman! She cooks, cleans, shuttles, teaches the girls, and leads worship with me at the church – all in heels! She also found time to run a half-marathon and 5k race this year! She has quite a few guitar students that she teaches as well, in all of her spare time.
I am still working at the church, heading up the worship and children’s ministries. Our children’s department is in the middle of a major remodel to accommodate growth in the number of kids we serve each week! I was privileged to travel to Honduras again for a building and teaching trip and to Los Angeles to serve at the Dream Center! Kate was able join me and a team from our church in Mexico City as well to teach a conference on worship and serve the city and churches there. We had a really great time serving together!
2010 started for us with the release of our first CD, One Song, a live worship recording that we made with the Worship team at River Valley. It has been well received and is available on iTunes, Amazon and our website http://www.brentandkatemusic.com!
At the end of September we met Kate’s family in So. California for a vacation at Disneyland. It was a wild week of memory making and the girls had a wonderful time! They love thrill rides and went on them again and again. Some of their favorites were Splash Mountain, California Screamin’ and Buzz Lightyear! They enjoyed meeting ALL of the princesses that live at The Happiest Place on Earth, as well as Mickey, Minnie and the whole gang! Having never been to Disneyland with kids (we had been as adults and teenagers) it was so fun to see all of the magic through their eyes and enjoy it as it was meant to be enjoyed. The girls are already planning our “next trip”.
We spent Thanksgiving in Boise and Christmas in Spokane, arriving the week before for a surprise 60th Birthday party for Kate’s dad and Christmas Eve at Oma and Opa’s. We had a blast despite the terrible weather on the drive over. The girls have become quite the little travelers, asking “are we flying or driving?” Times when we drive have been made a bit easier with our purchase of a Suburban. Yes, we are now Suburban people! It is a really nice ride and gets us everywhere we need to go in style. The girls named it Ginormica! We realized that the size of your car is not just based on how many kids you have, but rather ALL OF THE STUFF that goes with them!
We are excited about all that this new year brings and pray God’s richest blessing on you and yours!
Happy New Year from Brent, Kate, Ava, Leo & Ellis Jones!
P.S. We would love to hear from you or see you if you are ever in our area!
5 Sep
So Long Summer!
Here we are at end of our summer, the girls start school this week! Sorry that our blog hasn’t been up and working, we are trying to figure out the problem.
Should be posting all of our summer photos soon for all to see. We had a blast!
13 Jul
Summer at Last
So busy this summer. Honduras, VBS, Kate running 5k’s and half marathon’s, Spokane road trip not to mention swimming lessons! Woo Hoo!!!
Enjoy the videos!
6 Apr
The Spring Break that Broke Me
Alright, so I haven’t blogged in months. Between the Holidays, the release of our CD/website and everything else going on in our lives, the blog is a tell-tale sign of us being way too busy.
Last week we spent Sping Break in Spokane with Kate’s family. The family side of things was great, we got to see Oma, Opa, Nana, Popy and stayed with Chris and Mandy (thanks guys). It was the barrage of weird, things-that-only-happen-to-Brent kind of stuff that about killed the trip for me. It all started with the rainy, snowy, windy, briefly sunny, cold weather that Spokane is famous for this time of year, which drove us inside for most activities. The second day of the trip we went to the new YMCA which has a great swimming pool and we had a great (indoor) time, that is until we were leaving and needed the keys to the Suburban. As many of you know, we recently traded in our Jeep for a MASSIVE Suburban that the girls affectionately call GYNORMICA! We like it a lot, the only problem is that it was a trade-in that only came with one key and no remote. You can see where this is going. Not having hundreds of dollars just laying around to spring for a new complete key set this month, we ventured off to Spokane with one solitary key to Gynormica. Flash back to the lobby of the YMCA… that one key had been locked (by me of course) into Gynormica out in the parking lot, while we stood around – late for dinner. 45 agonizing minutes, 50 hard-earned dollars, and several "mommy/daddy conversations" later, we hit the rode, determined not to let this minor setback destroy our Springbreak.
The next day we decided to go to Mobius, cool children’s museum in Spokane. We were having an awesome time and spent two hours there with the kids. Just as we were leaving I noticed that my phone (which I had pulled out to answer a call) was no longer with me. "No big deal" I thought, as I searched the toddler reading area where I had just been. Not there. Of course. This was the point in the trip where I won the award for "Best Springbreak Dad Ever". I asked at the front desk, and then went mommy-by-mommy through the museum asking if anyone had seen a phone. Then lady walked up to us a said "are you looking for a phone?" "Yes" I said excitedly, "well I saw a lady pick it up and say she was taking it to the front desk. It was in a green case" That was it! I thanked her and ran off to the desk where the lady said she was taking it. They searched there, but to no avail, nothing had been turned in. We called it and called it, nothing. Later that day I drove back to the museum at closing time and they graciously aloud me to walk around while no one was there and listen for it as I called it. Still nothing. Thinking she must have forgotten it in her diaper bag (the lady who picked it up had kids and was quite pregnant) and would call later when she discovered it, we kept calling it and calling the museum.(did I mention they were gracious?) Long story-short, we left Spokane Friday with no phone and no call back. Awesome. Somewhere along the road we called Sprint to disconnect the line and order a replacement, reporting it lost. Only to have the Sprint guy tell us that it had been used by someone since I lost it! Not lost… STOLEN!!! Before disconnecting it, we sent one last text to it begging for this person to at least mail us the memory card insid ethe phone which had over 400 pictures of my kids on it. ("Best Springbreak Dad Ever") We prayed again and tried to just move on. But moving on was hindered by the extreme weather conditions which closed the road home!
When they opened the road we took it slow, going 30-40 most of the trip, watching semi-trucks sliding off the road and saw 7 accidents, but we pressed on and over 11 hours later (3am)we were home. Go thing neither of us had to work the next day, oh wait, we both did! Sweet.
We gave it a few days to see if someone would contact us about the phone, who knows, maybe out of GUILT. Nothing. So Monday we headed to the Sprint store to get a new phone. (sprint stores are too small for all three of your kids by the way) Hours later Kate got a text asking if we had lost a phone! Sure enough, there it was! It had been purchased by someone off of Craiglist! I still can’t belive that a mommy stole my phone and then SOLD IT! They saw our text after they bought it and did the right thing. We have to pick it up today from them and see what we can do about this new phone.
So that was our Springbreak adventure.
12 Oct
On This Day 2008…
It’s official, Ellis is now 1 year old! Hard to believe, the time goes by so fast.
Our weather shifted unusually quickly this month from temps in the 90’s to the 40-50’s and we have all had the cough and crud, except for Kate who has that I’m-a-mommy-I-have-an-immune-system-of-steel thing going on. Kate and I were just joking this morning that even though she was pregnant this time last year she was still getting more sleep then!
We snapped some pictures this morning of Ellis in her cheetah costume (for halloween) enjoy!
Our weather shifted unusually quickly this month from temps in the 90’s to the 40-50’s and we have all had the cough and crud, except for Kate who has that I’m-a-mommy-I-have-an-immune-system-of-steel thing going on. Kate and I were just joking this morning that even though she was pregnant this time last year she was still getting more sleep then!
We snapped some pictures this morning of Ellis in her cheetah costume (for halloween) enjoy!
20 Sep
From Summer to Fall…
I thought I should post here on this last official day of summer. Ava is doing great in first grade with Kate teaching her at home on Mondays, Wednesday and fridays and then she attends the Vineyard Co-op school on Tuesdays and Thursdays. She really likes it and is making friends and loves her new teachers (Mrs Stone and mommy). Leo is doing a fun preschool curriculum with Kate and is having fun with it. Ellis is growing so fast and starting to say words that actually make sense! The countdown is on for the big 1 year-old birthday on October 12th! I can’t believe she is almost 1.
The big girls have started ballet and tap dancing lessons and are thrilled. I must say that not only are they the cutest girls in their classes, they are also both amazing dancers! They got leg-warmers this week for their tights/tootoo’s and it is really a vision to behold.
With all of the activities listed above, Kate is staying very busy herself as mom, teacher, cook, chauffer and chief bottle-washer. Not to mention the laundry of all those too-toos. She is incredible and I am the luckiest man alive, sorry guys she’s taken.
We were so blessed to be able to go up to Sacheen Lake in Washington with Kate’s brother and family. We had such a fun week just hanging out, tubing, fishing, playing Yahtzee. Ava and Malachi gave water-skiing the old college try and they did great. Next year we won’t be able to get them to take the skis off. It was a gorgeous lake and Kate’s parents and grandparents came up for a day and we celebrated Mickey’s birthday with what can only be described as the most amazing German chocolate cake on the planet (God bless you Lindaman’s) which pairs nicely with port we discovered! Ava lost her two front teeth while we were at the lake and it was super exciting! Kate said, "iwonder if the tooth fairy comes to the lake"to which ava replied "I bet he’s driving here right now".
The girls loved the lake so much that when we got home all they could do was "water-ski" around the dining room with a laundry basket-boat! It was very cute until Leo yelled "hit it" and was propelled forward into the stairs, busting her head open pretty bad! All healed up now though and she lived to ski another day.
Ava climbed to the top of the climbing wall at summer camp this year and had a great time. they loved camp and we stayed after for a few days to hang out with the Fortins. All the kids ran around like a bunch of crazy’s and had the time of their lives.
Ava took the training wheels off of her bke this summer a rides great.
Labor Day we went to Roaring Springs water park in meridian, it just happened to be one of the coldest days of the summer! We had a blast and nearly stayed till close.
The live album recording is moving along and we should start working on album cover artwork this week. This song takes turned out very nicely and the studio is working hard to make us sound like we think we sound! It will be great to have it all done and available to the public. We will let you know the release date as soon as we have it. Our website should be up a running soon with all of the info about the project, we don’t have the exact domain name done yet but stay tuned.
Hope everyone had a great summer!
11 Jul
Summer Update
Life never slows and Kate and i were just commenting this morning that
today is the first day in over 2 weeks that we haven’t had to be
somewhere first thing in the morning! We just finished swimming lessons and the girls had a great time. Leo was the youngest and smallest in the class and she never spoke up when the teacher asked if she could jump in by herself so she got carried around for the the few lessons until we set that straight!
VBS went very well and we set a record by meeting our goal with 121 kids attending! We had great volunteers and a really fun week. The girls (and mom and dad) were totally wiped out afterward.
Ava just competed in her first track meet and did and excellent job running the 50 meter, 100 meter and doing the long jump. She loved it and now understands why they do all of the drills weekly in track! She has her next meet on july 22nd i believe at timberline high, if anyone wants to come cheer her on.
Kate and I (and the worship band at church) are getting ready to record our first live worship album July 27th-29th. It should be fun. I can give you more info on it if you want to come and worship, just email us. The album is due out this Fall on CD, itunes, Rhapsody and Napster, we will keep you posted.
We are heading to Spokane this week for and little R-n-R with Kate’s family and to have some fun with the kids at Silverwood and the girls have told everyone that their Poppi (Kate’s Dad) is taking them out on the lake in his boat. (hope your ready poppi)
July 3rd we celebrated our Gotcha Day (the day we "Got" Ava and Leora) Hard to believe they have been home for 2 years now. Seems like just yesterday we were driving down the hot, bumpy dirt road in Liberia to Acres of Hope and scooping them up in our arms for the very first time. What an amazing journey. What amazing girls. We stand amazed at the goodness and faithfulness of God. And look at them now as the best big sisters that little "pink" baby Ellis could ever hope for.
today is the first day in over 2 weeks that we haven’t had to be
somewhere first thing in the morning! We just finished swimming lessons and the girls had a great time. Leo was the youngest and smallest in the class and she never spoke up when the teacher asked if she could jump in by herself so she got carried around for the the few lessons until we set that straight!
VBS went very well and we set a record by meeting our goal with 121 kids attending! We had great volunteers and a really fun week. The girls (and mom and dad) were totally wiped out afterward.
Ava just competed in her first track meet and did and excellent job running the 50 meter, 100 meter and doing the long jump. She loved it and now understands why they do all of the drills weekly in track! She has her next meet on july 22nd i believe at timberline high, if anyone wants to come cheer her on.
Kate and I (and the worship band at church) are getting ready to record our first live worship album July 27th-29th. It should be fun. I can give you more info on it if you want to come and worship, just email us. The album is due out this Fall on CD, itunes, Rhapsody and Napster, we will keep you posted.
We are heading to Spokane this week for and little R-n-R with Kate’s family and to have some fun with the kids at Silverwood and the girls have told everyone that their Poppi (Kate’s Dad) is taking them out on the lake in his boat. (hope your ready poppi)
July 3rd we celebrated our Gotcha Day (the day we "Got" Ava and Leora) Hard to believe they have been home for 2 years now. Seems like just yesterday we were driving down the hot, bumpy dirt road in Liberia to Acres of Hope and scooping them up in our arms for the very first time. What an amazing journey. What amazing girls. We stand amazed at the goodness and faithfulness of God. And look at them now as the best big sisters that little "pink" baby Ellis could ever hope for.
1 Jun
This has to be a record!
Hard to believe I know, but I am actually blogging TWICE in less than one month!
We had a great Memorial Day weekend, with family coming over for a BBQ. Aunt Janel was in town fro CA and Aunt Laurie, Uncle Dave and the Joliffes came as well. It was great to see everyone. Between Memorial Day, retirement parties, birthday parties, end of school, graduations, and old friends in town, we have eatin enough BBQ hotdogs and burgers to feed a small army! The girls are having a blast though. Ava is officially 6 now and lLeo turns 4 on June 8th. The big joint party is fast approaching and they are stoked about it. Yesterday at church Upstream Kids Club (Ava and Leo’s Wed. night club) gave a presentation and Ava sang America The Beautiful with good friend and kinder-classmate Cassie. They did a great job and we especially enjoyed the verse where they sang "…for purple mountain majesties, above the fruited plagues"!!!
We are ready for summer, Ava has 4 more days of school and a summer pool pass, she is doing track on Tuesday nights and will take swim lessons during the days with Leo. With VBS at the end of the month and Summer camp in August, we will stay busy.
We are also excited that Chris, Mandy and Malachi and Oma and Opa are all coming for the girls party! It will be agreat weekend together.
Hope you are all well. To all of our out-of-Idaho friends and family, if your Summer plans bring you close to Boise, please call us or drop by we’d love to catch-up.
Oh yeah, one more thing… the base ment flooded, again. I know your thinking, "didn’t that just happen?" Yes. Thankfully it was only sprinkler water this time. (as opposed to sewage) and only in one room which is drying out as i type. Not as big of a deal as it seemed like yesterday! We lost the pad but not the brand new carpet, thankfully. So it will all be back to normal by the end of the week. (Hmmm…)
6 May
Phones, Trains and Automobiles…
I have officially entered the land of Touch-Screen Phone users, and if you have called me in the last two days, you know it because I probably either hung-up on you or never answered your call! Why so rude, you ask? I had no idea how to answer your call! There are no buttons to push to answer a call, and the phone is smart enough to ask me if I want to answer but assumes that I am smart enough to know how to answer. With a phone this smart you’d think it would just read my thoughts and know if I want to answer the call or not. When some one calls me it speaks and says "You have a call from Kate" (don’t ask me how it knows) and I have to confess that in my frustration one time I decided to try something from Star Trek and talk back to it saying "Answer Call"! To no avail. Even now the phone is starring at me from my desk, daring me to pick it up and try to call out on it, I am afraid. I have wanted this phone for a while so I am determined to harness it’s great power for my uses, it will just take some time. I did just figure out how to check me email from it so now the game is on.
Enough about my phone drama, Kate is preparing to go up to Cascade for the church’s women’s retreat. She is leading worship for it and I hope she gets a little R & R as well, even though Ellis is going with her! Ava and Leo are staying home with dad which is great since we have been running around like crazy since I got home last week.
The older girl’s birthdays are fast approaching and they are so excited. Ava will be turning 6 (and she has two more loose teeth) and leo is turning 4 (but she says she is turning "pretend 5"). Ava is almost done with Kindergarten, hard to believe. She is getting so tall and grown up. Her class is learning a song for their last day of school to the tune of New York, New York (you know "Start spreading the news, I’m leavin’ today…") it’s called First Grade, First Grade! She sang it for us and it is adorable.
Hope all of you are having a great spring and looking ahead to a great summer!
The Journey of the Jones' 