Look what we found!

The remote to the Roku!

Grandma had been accused (wrongly) of accidentally packing it in one of her bags... it's been missing for a month, at least.

It was just Bub and I the other day and I decided I wanted to watch Amazon Prime in the living room... and I gave my first attempt and finding it.

It took me about five seconds, very first place I looked!

Adro, Evey and Grandma were all texted this photo immediately. Grandma... wrongly accused! We're sorry!

The Alamo

Heading home from summer SPI trip

So tired from all the waves, the sun, the beach... it'll be nice to get home!

A nice trip to South Padre, though. Lots of Whataburger, too!

Ok, THIS is the welcome home Grandma pic!

The kids (read: Evey) made Judy a sign welcoming Grandma home.

We also celebrated her birthday pretty much as soon as she got home... with dinner at Kobe Japanese Steakhouse. Virginia, Rick, Lupe, Rod, our family... it was a good crew! Also, Boyd was the only one who caught his shrimp in his mouth... pretty cool!

Welcome home Judy!!!

So glad Grandma is home!

This photo doesn't exactly jive with the headline, but... we're so happy G'ma is home!!!

We'll get better pics together soon... right now everyone is tired/asleep... but Judy is back in Kansas, where we like her!

Welcome home Grandma!!!

May 28, 2019 tornado

First day of summer vacation!

It's hard to believe, but today was the first day of the kids' summer vacation!

I now have a 7th grader and a 2nd grader... CRAZY!

It was a good day... Evey slept in. Boyd was up early, a little stir crazy all day. The kids did a good job entertaining themselves most of the day, but we enjoyed a lunch together, and a 5 p.m. game of Monopoly as well!

***

Picture on top is a science experiment for the kids... A golf turf fertilizer company sent me some product to check out... I put the kids in charge of this process... we'll see how it goes.

***

Summer Monopoly series. $50 to the winner (if it's Evey or Bub who wins.) If it's me, the kids have to help me sweep out/clean the garage.

Evey and Bub split a win (so that's .5 points each.) Dad took zero points in the inaugural game.

It's a marathon, not a sprint! I'm not worries.

Summer Monopoly series:

0.5 points — Bub
0.5 points — Evey
0 points — Dad

Cupcakes by Evey Jones!

We only have two (2!) more days of the school year left. Where... did... 6th/1st grade... go?!? This year flew by! (For Adro and I, not the kids.) 

I think this was a good year for both kids. I think next year will be better. 7th grade is an awkward age, but at least Evey won't be the youngest class in her school anymore, and she'll have a better handle on the school. And 2nd grade seems like a magical year, it was for Evey (Mr. Powers) and it was for me (coincidentally a Mrs. Powers, back in Mulvane.) Hopefully it is equally a good year for Bub.

***

Soccer season is OVER! We finished out the year on Saturday. And guess what? Boydee SCORED A GOAL! He came close twice last game, and this time he sealed the deal.

Funny thing, he told me he felt like he was going to score a goal before the game.

Now, to be fair, he also gave up the slowest penalty kick EVER in the previous quarter. I'm still trying to figure out what happened, and yes, I almost lost my mind when it happened. I ran out to the field to talk to him, and I just rubbed his chest in a circular motion rapidly and told him, "OK, buddy, let's GO!" because I really wanted to spank him at that moment. Then I walked by Dale, the head coach (I'm the assistant) and I seethed, "it's like his feet were in concrete!" and Dale gave me a, "I'm mad too... but at least it wasn't my son." look. 

Adro and Evey had the best perspective: they saw the girl line up for the penalty shot... then they saw her take it (they were on the opposite side of the field)... then Dale walked into their line of vision, so they couldn't see what happened... but they saw the ball was moving so slowly, they figured Boyd would have it... then they saw Boyd again... and realized the other team was going wild, and Boyd was pulling the ball out of the net.

It's a mystery. Even Boyd can't explain it. I don't know.

But the goal!

Cameron took a shot, and the goalie (our all-star from last year, Brandon) got hands on it but let it squeak by him. Boyd was in the right place at the right time... and he had an open net in front of him and about 2 seconds to react...

And he HAMMERED it home!

OK, in all honesty... he dang near missed the ball entirely, it took him three seconds to react, but somehow he put enough topspin on the ball that it squeaked across the goal line. I jumped in the air like an idiot. The kids all trotted back slowly. We were down 5-1 at this point, and I was THRILLED! What penalty kick?!? Boyd was our leading scorer for the game!

I later asked Boyd to recreate the play for me... in his mind, he blasted the ball top shelf, off a pass from Cameron. 

We'll go with that!

***

We're in Week 5 of the "Why did Grandma leave us?!?" experience. Only two more weeks to go.

We miss her so much! Mother's Day was yesterday... we texted, but it wasn't the same. Two more weeks to go! 

WE MISS YOU JUDY!!!

***

So the cupcakes you see with Evey, she made for a party... one of her teachers is "going away" (moving up to high school) so they're throwing a party for her on the next-to-last day of school. Evey worked hard on these cupcakes. She's so sweet! Yes, Boydee is a little (sun)burned but the cupcakes are PERFECT!

She's also made mini-posters for some of her teachers, as a going away present. I don't think all her teachers got one, but she has made several.

I bet she's the kind of student you wish you had more of in your class. 

Unless that class is P.E.

We tried!

Easter weekend 2019

Adro and I enjoying some drinks with Brent, Rosalina & Co.
before Brent's show.

Evey & I at the Alamo theater, where we saw Shazam. Cameo from the Iron Giant! Cool theater. Bad popcorn. 

The kids shortly after the Easter egg hunt!

The Easter weekend is behind us! After two weekends on the road (Joplin, Omaha) we're excited to be back home and we are a little road weary... especially Evey.

But it was a nice weekend. Evey did get sick on Friday but toughed it out and went to Omaha anyway... then I got a little sick to my stomach on Friday... but we both recovered for Saturday!

Bub and Mom went with Rosalina, Dexter and Sylvia to the zoo... then Evey and I went to see Shazam (it was just OK.) Then Adro and I went out to watch Brent's band play.

Easter breakfast at Rosalina & Brent's house, a quick Easter egg hunt... then back home.

We're exhausted, but it was fun!

Moment in time: Feb 17, 2019

Just got done visiting Bart and Lynette's baby boy, Curtis. We had already gone to church that morning. Now it was time to get some food.

We drove around... Free State? Nope, 40 minute wait. Jefferson's? No tables, it's packed. Should we just go home?

How about Celito Lindo's? Last time we went the refried beans were so spicy. Well, let's give it another try, there's a parking spot.

Turns out the food was good, the table was great, the margarita was smooth. Yeah, we spilled some queso (which is a major faux pas in our family) but it was otherwise a really fun lunch. I hope we go back soon.

And I had that great blue wall with the sun coming in behind me... made for a great photo of the family. I started rattling them off before everyone was ready, and the entire series is colorful and hilarious. It's like everyone's personalities come through in this series of photos.

Here's all nine photos, in order that I took them. Finally got it on the last try!

Jax & Boyd

Looking eerily like Mike & Seth, circa 1984.

Sunburned in St. Lucia, Evey's healthy snacks

My co-worker Rob sent me this pic of Adro and I in St. Lucia.

When did I get old?!? Awww, man...

The other day I asked Evey to make snacks for her and Bub... check out what she made!

The look she's giving me is the constant look I get now. TEENAGERS!!!

Furious weekend!

NOT ONLY did Tiger Woods win his first major in 11 years, but also... I defeated Shinboi for the first time in five years!!! And that wasn't even the highlight of the weekend! Courtney and Garett's wedding was! Yup, the Joneses road tripped to Joplin to see Adrianne's cousin's wedding... and it was a beautiful thing.

Chillin' and grillin' in the garage!

The last two weeks have been a blur for me, as I was in Cleveland late last week, then at the Masters early this week. But I got a cool photo of Solo, Adro, Bub, Judy and I hanging in the garage over the weekend!