Boyd with his toy snakes

Boydee got these for Christmas.

Reminds me of a scene from Pee-Wee's Big Adventure...

The weekend that was

How was your weekend? Ours was solid.

***

I got home from Cleveland Friday afternoon and was exhausted. Judy stayed home with Boyd because he was sick that day. We made some frozen pizzas and just relaxed... After too many nights in hotel rooms over the past two weeks, I was ready to get some sleep in my own bed.

***

Saturday I stayed home with Boyd while the girls (Adro, Evey and Judy) went out to get their nails done. That was the snow day. That morning I went to the grocery store to get stuff for breakfast. Then, later, Boyd and I made run # 2 to get stuff for vegetable beef stew. 

A lot of Uno was played during the day between Boydee and me, along with the Batman board game. Boyd drank from his snack/drink cup, mostly munching on crackers all day. Pretty chill day.

The snow started hitting and we just sort of watched it whole also watching college basketball. The OU game, then the UK/UNC game, then the KU/Davidson game.

I had concert tickets that night, but elected against going with the dangerous weather. The tickets were for Local Natives and Band of Horses. That's the second time I've missed Local Natives this year, guess I'm just not meant to see them in 2016.

It was so cold out on Saturday night (a wind chill of something like -10, right?) that we all snuggled up together and turned on the new episode of Saturday Night Live. By the end of the monologue, three out of four Joneses were asleep. 

I watched a little bit of Empire Strikes Back myself before going to bed. By midnight I took both kids to their own beds... just not enough room for the four of us, with the kids getting so big. 

At about 3 a.m. I heard the dog bark, and then I saw Boyd run from his room to our room. He was having a nightmare. He then bunked with us the rest of the night.

***

Sunday morning we all decided not to do anything — church for the wife and kids, basketball for me. Boyd slept in until almost 9:30 a.m., remarkably late for him.

I made breakfast biscuit sandwiches for everyone again. The vegetable beef stew was ready and waiting in the wings. Adrianne and Evey worked on wrapping presents all day while I cleaned up the basement, did laundry, organized some stuff, while watching football and listening to music on the jukebox (I'm a big multi-tasker.)

The veggie beef stew was for late lunch and dinner (accompanied with grilled cheese sammiches at dinner) and was a huge hit. Hardly any left!

Now Evey is baking cookies while Adro is getting ready for the week. Boyd's probably watching "Grandma Got Ran Over by a Reindeer." The dog is asleep on the floor pillow next to me.

***

I only left the house twice all weekend (both to the local grocery store) and while I was frustrated about eating those concert tickets on Saturday night, it was a great weekend. Productive, quiet, relaxing. 

I'm shutting this down — Boyd just paged me on the intercom system and shouted, "THE COOKIES ARE READY!!!"  

My favorite moment

From last weekend -- and there were a lot of good moments to choose from!

Evey's b-day party

Was a smashing success! And yet we didn't even break any ceramics!

Thanksgiving 2016

 Wng!

What a great Thanksgiving!

Boydee at the park

Took Boyd to two parks on Saturday. He also accompanied me on a trip to the auto parts store, the hardware store and the grocery store. 

He scored two toys, a "dino" and a hot wheels car, for hanging with me. It's a lot of fun to have Boyd hang with me on Saturday mornings... he does great staying close to me, but exploring at the same time. 

Also, Koko the dog joined us. She's always down for a ride in the truck...

Boyd Jones Construction

There's a construction company in Omaha called BOYD JONES. I saw their signs all over a construction site when I was last up there in May.

The other day I emailed them and asked if they had a T-shirt, or anything I could buy, for my son who is named Boyd Jones.

They emailed back and said, "no sweat, we'll mail you something — and great name!"

Now Boyd has his hat with his own name on it. And he loves it!

Looking good, Boyd Jones!

Pic

Boyd's golf swing, Age 5

Looking good, Boydee!

He parred # 9 at the pitch-and-putt. Sure, I teed him up closer to the green than the actual tee. But still, from 30 yards he hit it on in one and two-putted.

These two

Have a special bond, it's neat to watch.

I took this Sunday afternoon at the farm. Boyd instigated the hug.

I'm glad he didn't spell RED RUM

Friday O'Pomp

Remember a hundred years ago, when I blogged nine times a week?

Evey plowed through book 5 of the "Land of Stories" series. 430 pages, bought it on Friday, she was finished by Tuesday afternoon.

Well, ok, yeah, sorry. That's not me anymore. Maybe that guy will make a comeback, who knows. Life has seasons, I've learned. Right now I'm in a "shut up and brood" season. Not much blogging goes in this stage, but I strive to brood hard. 

What'd you just say? You insensitive...

Here are a couple photos I took...in time for Friday Old picso ffa my phone...

Adrianne bought this new back deck beer trough. I dig it. But we need more than just me drinking out of it, or else the ice melts pretty quick.

I texted back and forth with Abasolo over the weekend. Admitted I was in the  midst of a BIG PROJECT.

Painted the garage. Turns out I survived the ordeal AND actually made Adrianne happy. That happens again in 2145, when some random comet cruises by again. Looking forward to it!

So that's my weekend update, we'll try harder soon next week!

Is that Ice T?

No! IT'S LEMONADE!

Read the sign...

To think, it was 10 years ago today...

...that we got married. Sorry I'm not in Kansas when you (probably) see this, but happy anniversary, Babe. I'll be home this evening for a quiet celebration, you, me and the kids.

(Don't worry, Adrianne and I already did a preemptive celebration at Red Rocks over the summer, then did another celebration in Las Vegas a few weeks ago.)

Ten years ago things were a lot different, in general. But one thing was very much the same: you were willing to put up with my dumb ass, and the two of us were very much in love.

Thanks for still putting up with my dumb ass, thank you for still loving me, thank you for this life you've led me to. I might still be a dumbass, but I'm smart enough to hold on tight to you.

Happy 10th anniversary, Adrianne Anita Jones. I love you.

Evey got a new book

She's tearing through the "Land of Stories" series... just finished book three, on to book four.

I usually buy these for her when I come home from business trips. This time, I bought two, stashing one for my next trip.

She got off school early today and had been reading upstairs all afternoon. Once she finished book three, she came down to tell me how she was FREAKING OUT about the cliffhanger ending of book three... that she almost threw the book and wanted to kick the dog.

I told her to relax... I was going to go check the mail.

I retrieved this book out of my hiding spot... and then started recording as she came out of the bathroom...