Sea Life

We went to Sea Life for our Family Vacation.We actually had the whole week for a vacation and we planned a week of taking it easy and taking our girls to do something on Mommy's "To-Do Wishlist". I can now check this off my list. I loved the little photo opps throughout with the dome inside the fish tank.

Family Vacation and a Change of Plans

The plan was to go to the Phoenix Zoo, but when we got there that place was a crazy mad house. I quickly regretted my decision to go there and started hoping the other place I'd been dreaming of taking my kids might be a little less crowded. The girls had their swim shirts on because of the water play area at the zoo. I think we made a good choice. We got a little side tracked on our way there. The girls saw this and wanted to take a ride. They ended up taking several and even the littlest one enjoyed it.

Meredith loving it.

Rebecca felt she was too busy for a smile. She doesn't look like she was enjoying herself...

...but here's her "serious fun" face that tells you she's having a ball.

 

And Kristina LOVED it! I know that this is a blurry picture, but she was just so excited and I can't help but add in this picture.

Happy excited girls.

Hiking in October

We went hiking in October. We went up Mount Lemon, did some hiking, had a barbeque and had fun. The girls were great little hikers, but we were not prepared for how cold it was. We left our sweaters in the car and by the time we were preparing our dinner we needed something heavier than sweaters. Poor cold girls hung out in the van. We had a lot of fun and it is a precious memory.

Peter Piper Pizza

I told Nathan, before he left on his trip that took place during the week the kids started school,that when he returned home we'd have to do something fun as a family. Going to Peter Piper Pizza was on the list. We had a lot of fun. Kristina went to sleep in her car seat because it was bedtime for her, and the girls were up a little past their bedtime (they probably don't fall asleep until 30-60 minutes after bedtime anyway). We had a lot of fun.

Meredith at PPP driving the bus.

Rebecca thought the bus was too noisy.

Emily helping Rebecca by covering her ears. That ride just wasn't a huge success with those two.

Mommy riding the carousel with Rebecca.

Daddy riding with Meredith and Rebecca.

Daddy and Rebecca.

Emily on the Carousel

Meredith on the Carousel

Saying Good-bye for Two Years

Here we are on our way up to my brother's mission farewell.They were just so cute I had to add it.

Here's a picture of each of the girls in a picture with my brother just before his mission. (Someone remind me that I should take pictures of my kids with my brother after and put the pictures side by side.)

My brother will be an awesome missionary, I have no doubts.

First Day of School 2012

My Kindergartner.

On our way to school.

First Grade (I have no idea how this happened. I think I blinked.)

Very excited.

Rebecca was not to be left out of the photo taking. 

When Meredith got in the car after school I asked her how it was and was she good. She said yes. I know her, I pressed. Did you get in trouble today? "No" Did the teacher get mad at you? ....hesitation. Me: Meredith, did the teacher get mad at you? Meredith: Yes. Me: What did you do? Meredith: shrug After continually pressing I finally got out of her that she didn't sit on the rug when the teacher asked her, and that she got moved to the front desk right by teacher on the first day of school. Haha. I KNEW it. However, I've been asking her about school every day, and it sounds like she's getting used to all the rules. Whew!

6 Months First Food

This is what Kristina thought about her first food. I fed her some butternut squash. She is doing much better with it now.

She was pushing the spoon AWAY from her mouth.

Fish Hatchery

Our last activity for the 2012 Jones Reunion was at the Fish Hatchery. We had to keep close tabs on Rebecca so she didn't go swimming with the fish.

Jones Family Reunion Hike

We went on a hike at Tonto Natural Bridge and at first we were all going to hike the short part and I was going to take the two younger kids back while everyone else took the harder trail. Well, we started our little hike and low and behold what I thought was the "easy" trail was actually the "hard" trail and we all just kept going. There was a little bit of climbing involved and times where we were very nervous about one of our kids slipping and falling. But it was fun. If you take young kids you'll almost need an adult per kid and so hiking it with my family was just perfect. 4 kids to 7 1/2 adults (my 11 year old brother was quite helpful as well, see.) I had offers to take help me with the baby, but I felt safer with her right there in front of me. 

Here's Kristina quite comfortable in her carrier.

 Nathan at the bottom of the trail making sure Rebecca doesn't fall into the water as she throws rocks in.

 Team work in getting the kids through the hike.

 Looking down to where we'd been. There was a little hole that we could look through to see the lake underneath the natural bridge.

 Two super cute hikers.