It's been a while...

I'm so horrible when it comes to remembering to blog! Eliott is already 1 and loves getting into everything he can - especially the dog food, water, and toilets. His favorite food is Velveta shells macaroni and cheese and would eat it for every meal of every day if we would let him.  I'm so excited to have Christmas with him, he is going to be super spoiled and get more toys than he needs. This year i've been teaching 5th grade and it's so great! I love my job!!  Here are a bunch of pictures of what we've been up to the last year. 

Went on the Alpine Slide

Eliott loves the piano

 

Hiked up to Timpanogos Cave

Kimball came home!! 

 Went on his first plane ride!

 Made his first trip to Las Vegas

 And Disneyland!!

 Had his 1st halloween. We are dressed up as Gru, a Minion, and Edith from Despicable Me

1 year old! 

Merry Christmas! 

He Smiles!

What a cutie!

Introducing....

Eliott Curtis Jones

Born November 25, 2011

10:01 PM

7 lbs 15 oz

19 1/2 inches

I am so happy to finally have our little guy here, and he came on the exact day that I wanted him to come. I got to enjoy my Thanksgiving dinner and do a little black friday shopping.

Labor Story:

I had my 39 week appointment on the 23rd and was dilated to a 2. The doctor stripped my membranes (for the second time... the first time didn't do anything) but I didn't think it would do anything since I had been told most first time moms will go over their due date, many having to be induced. Well....

I woke up at 3:30 am on the 25th feeling some pain but didn't think much of it and went back to sleep. About 15 minutes later I woke up again. This continued all night long, every 15-30 minutes. About 5 am I realized that what I was feeling were contractions and got a little excited. Once I realized what was happening I decided to do as much as I could to make sure the contractions kept going. We had a few sales that we wanted to go to that day so we got ready and went shopping. The whole time we were shopping I was keeping track of my contractions, waiting for them to get closer together. After shopping we came home and set up our christmas tree and the christmas decorations. Meanwhile my contractions were getting closer and closer together. By the time we finished they were about 8 minutes apart. I was getting a little excited thinking that this could really be it, but didn't want to get my hopes up too high. So Curtis suggested that we go to the mall and power walk around the mall. After 1 lap around the mall I was in a lot of pain and my contractions were coming every 5 minutes, but I decided that I could handle one more lap. About 1/2 way through they got so painful that I decided it was time to go to the hospital.

We went home and got everything we needed, just incase I would be staying. We got to the hospital around 4 pm and they were excited to see us, since Curtis' dad had called them earlier that morning to see how close my contractions needed to be to be admitted. They checked me and to my surprise, I was dilated to a 5!! It was all of a sudden really surreal to think that I wouldn't be leaving that hospital without a baby. Immediately they got my IV in and started pumping me full of fluids and asking me all sorts of questions. I told them that I wanted an epidural and so they called the anesthesiologist.... who just happens to be Curtis' dad! After my epidural was placed I was so happy! People kept asking me if everything was okay, and I was surprised at how great I felt! I tried to sleep but with them coming into check me every 45 minutes I didn't get much. Every time they came to check me I was making progress. I kept texting my mom letting her know how things were going and what the progress was each time they'd check me. When they checked me and I was a 9.5 her response was, "I can't believe you are texting me at a time like this!!" I guess when you can't feel the pain, and there isn't much pressure, everything is fine and dandy.

Once I was fully dilated it was about 9:25 and the nurse had me push just to see how I would do. She told me not to expect much, because most first time moms push for at least an hour, and some even push for as long as 3 hours. I pushed for 2 contractions and she said she had to call the doctor because I would not be pushing very long.

Unfortunately, he was still at home in Springville, but said he'd come as quick as he could. While we were waiting for him to show up I was told not to push, or this baby would come before the dr. got there. He finally showed up around 9:50 and got all his stuff set up. By this time my contractions had brought him down really far and his head was coming out. I pushed for one contraction and he told me to stop for just a second, then pushed once more and baby Eliott was born.

I can't believe how easy my labor was! I hope that all my labors go as smoothly as this one did, and that all my kids are born before their due date --Eliott was born 5 days early.

Eliott is such a good baby. He sleeps most of the time and really only cries when he's cold or hungry. I love watching him sleep and, when he's awake, look around and stare at things. W'ere so glad he is here safe and sound and boy, we sure do love him!

My Kids

Oh how I wish I could teach them another year!! I miss these kiddos so much!

Baby Project #1

A few weeks ago when my mom and I went to a quilt shop, I saw a pattern for a car seat cover that was really neat. It was different than any cover I had seen before, and I liked it a lot! So, I bought the pattern and this week my dear mother helped me put it together. It was kind of a pain in the butt to sew, but it turned out really cute!

Here are a few of the features that make it different than all the other car seat covers out there.

It has a zipper down the front so the cover can either be closed....

Or open!

A few loops on the inside to hang some toys

And a snap in the back so you can bustle the cover up.

Pretty cute huh? I can't decide if I want to try to make another one or not...... Maybe the second one would go together easier since I've made one. Maybe.

Hump day!

Happy hump day!

I always love getting to the half way point of things in my life. I'd much rather be counting down than counting the days until I reach the half way point! You know that feeling when you're driving home from some far away place and you realize you're half way home? It's a great feeling! The end is finally in sight and you start feeling a little excited about all the things you are going to do when you finally get back home? thats how I feel right now. anyway.......

Today marks 20 weeks of being pregnant (20 down, 20 to go!). The time seems to have moved really quick up to this point, and I just hope that it continues to speed on by until November when we finally get to meet our little........

BOY!!!

Curtis and I are so excited to be having a little baby boy. He is growing quickly, and is already the size of a small cantaloupe. Can you believe that? I can't... that is until I look at myself in the mirror and see a little belly starting to poke out. I always love seeing others' belly pictures, so.... here's mine.

Incase You Haven't Already Heard.....

I'm pregnant!

Expected arrival date: November 30, 2011.

We find out if baby is a boy or girl in two short weeks, I can't wait!!

My Life

Pretty much follows this pattern every day.

(Click to enlarge)

Car Accident

Well it happened again! On Monday January 10, 2011 I was on my way to work. I had just recently left the house and was at the intersection where Main street turns into Geneva Road and State street crosses over it. As I got to the intersection my light was already green so I continued on through. As I got about half way through the intersection all of a sudden I heard the unmistakable crash of metal hitting metal and I knew I was in a car crash. I heard the airbag deploy and felt it hit my face. I felt my car spinning a bit and when I stopped I looked up to try and figure out what just happened to me. "Did I just run a red light?" I looked up and saw my light was green. I tried to take off my seat belt and get out of my car but it was locked in so instead I worked on punching down the airbag to get it out of my face. I opened up the door and there were a few people who had been waiting at the red light who ran over to see if I was doing okay. An old man came running over and told me he was an ER doctor and he checked my neck and a few of my reflexes to make sure I wasn't seriously hurt. After he left I got out of my car and a few people had gathered around. It took me a while to find my cell phone but when I did find it I called curtis and told him I had been in an accident and I needed him to come get me. One lady who stopped hugged me and noticed that I was shaking. It was pretty early in the morning (7:15) and was still REALLY cold out. I'd have to estimate somewhere around 10 degrees. However, I couldn't feel the cold. She kept asking if I needed a blanket but I kept telling her I was fine. They finally realized that I was probably just in shock and went and got the blankets and made me wrap up in them. Once the police got to the accident one of them had me go and sit in the back of his truck while they took care of everything. They called the paramedics but once they arrived I was feeling fine and they didn't do anything. The police called tow trucks to come get both of our cars and when I saw them loading up the other lady's car I realized that she didn't hit me.... I HIT HER. She ran the red light but had crossed in front of me and I had hit her passenger side door. "How did this happen?" I kept thinking, "I didn't even see her coming!"

So now my car sits in the Gene Harvey Chevrolet of American Fork towed car lot.

I'm so sad to lose my car but there are a few thing that I became EXTREMELY thankful for this day. I'm very thankful that I was kept from more harm. 1/2 a second of me driving faster and she would have hit my drivers side door and I, no doubt, would have been hurt very badly. I'm so thankful that I was able to walk away from this with a few bruises and sore muscles.

I'm also thankful for car insurance, for they will give me a nice check that will help pay for a new car =)

But one thing that keeps eating me up inside is the fact that ALL morning while I was getting ready to leave I kept thinking "I need to eat breakfast today." Usually I don't think about eating breakfast, if there's time I eat and if there isn't time then I don't eat. I chose to ignore this thought and went without breakfast thinking i'd be fine to just wait a few hours until lunch at school. I really feel that this was the spirit trying to protect me. Bu t unfortunately I didn't eat and crashed my car. If I would have taken the 5 minutes to eat would I have not gotten in an accident? I don't know.

I love how life is a learning experience. Everything we experience or go through is an opportunity for growth and development. I feel like I am able to recognize that little thought in my head that tells me to do something and better follow the promptings of the spirit.

One other thing that I am so grateful for is a husband that is so loving, patient, and understanding. All I could talk about the day the accident happened was the fact that it wasn't my fault and how angry I was that it even happened. He kept telling me that he didn't care whose fault it was, all he cared about was that I was safe. I'm thankful for a family who too, loves and cares for me very much and lets me know! What would I ever do without them, for they are truly my best friends.

And here are a few pictures of my long lost car.

update: My insurance came through and paid us the money we needed to go buy a new car. We decided to get a Subaru b9 Tribeca. It's got everything, and I absolutely love it! Ill post some pictures soon.

Real Teeth?

So today after all of the kids had left and filed out of the room for specialties a student was staying after to call her mom and see if she could bring some shorts for her to wear for P.E. since we are dancing and her pants are quite tight. After she calls her mom she looks at me all nervous and says, "Mrs. Jones? Can i ask you a question and do you promise not to get mad at me?" My mind starts racing and wondering what she could be asking. "ummmm Sure!" i say. Nervously she starts to speak, "well... your teeth are always really white and so i was just wondering if they are real or are they fake?" It took all i had in me not to bust out laughing as hard as i could. "No, they're real!" i said. She kind of just said "oh... .okay." "It's because i brush them lots!" i said to her.

I love my job!

Happy Halloween!

What a crazy week it has been! We've had....

Snow

Pumpkin carving

and Halloween parties

These are my kids, don't they look great?

All the 5th and 6th grade teachers decided to be the characters from Alice in Wonderland, It was great!

White queen, Tweedledee & Tweedledum, Mad Hatter, Alice, and the Red Queen

Day 3 - Puerta Vallarta

Our first stop was Puerta Vallarta. Boy was I excited to get off that boat! I had been pretty sea sick the first two days and finally stepping onto land was so nice!

Beautiful Puerta Vallarta (notice the pirate ship and Mexican navy)

The first thing I noticed when I got up that day was that it was so humid. So humid, in fact, that my hair curled itself into a little ringlet!

The city was beautiful, and I felt right at home when I stepped outside and saw a Wal-Mart.

Puerta Vallarta was the stop I was most excited for, because we had planned an excursion to go swimming with some dolphins. Now, we got off the boat and there was this little walk way all set up for us, guarded by scary Mexican army men with big guns (I didn't take any pictures for fear they might shoot me!).

Set up along the walkway were all these people trying to sell things. I stopped at one to look at some sunglasses because I had forgotten mine. When one of the pairs fell off the rack some lady ran over, inspected them, then told me, "It's okay. There's no scratches. You don't have to buy." GEEZ! I decided not to touch anything else. There was one little shop that I stood at for a good 30 minutes. This man, Jorge Lopez (ha), was painting these amazing pictures, with his fingers! At first I thought, "There's no way he's really doing that!" but sure enough, I sat and watched it happen, right before my eyes!

First he tapes off the tile

Paints the sky

Fills in ocean

The trees and the birds

Rips off the tape and

Voila, it is done!

I was so impressed I had to buy one for my house.

Anyway, off to the dolphin encounter we went. We rode in this boat taxi to another city across the muddy water. It was really disgusting and I was glad we hadn't planned to go swimming or snorkeling that day. Apparently it had been really rainy, and when it rains all the mud from a river above the city flows into their little bay and really makes things gross.

Nasty Ocean

Dolphin Rides

Feeding Time

Hugs

Dancing

My favorite--Dolphin Kisses!

After swimming with the dolphins we took a picture with a sea lion and went to wait so we could see it.

Precious, I know!

While waiting we saw this creature

And also mama and baby swimming around

We had a grand time with the dolphins and when we came back we had a little surprise waiting on our bed for us....

A turtle!

That night at dinner they invited a real live mariachi band to come play, it was pretty sweet!