Murder Mystery Dinner

On Friday night Spence DeMonet (Marc) and Juanita Greencarde (Michelle), attended a Murder Mystery Dinner at Jen and Nick's home with some of the cousins. It was great fun! It was fun to have a reason to get dressed up in costume and have a night out. As much as we love our cute Jackson it was fun to have a night together without worrying about diapers and bedtime.
Ryan and Alisa

Marc and Michelle

Jen and Nick

Chad and Sarah

We enjoyed a three course fondue dinner and dessert....yum!I have to share this, since Marc was Spence DeMonet (spends the money), he carried around a bunch of fake money that he would pass around to people for just looking at him or pouring him a drink or whatever it might be. Look closely at the money, you might just recognize the face?!

Pigs are Flying!

What ever you said you would do when pigs flew...it's time to do it. We saw this out our window this morning. Jackson hasn't stopped oinking and pointing to go back outside since. It was right above our house and so close to the house tops.

Discovering Snow

Yesterday as my parents left for the BYU Football game I just couldn't decide if we should go with them. It seemed sunny, but chilly and it was supposed to get really stormy as the day went on. I decided not to go, only because I was worried about keeping Jackson warm and dry...if it got really bad.

We (Jackson and I) sat at home and watched the football game, at half-time I was feeling bad I hadn't just gone to the game, the weather didn't seem all that bad. Since it was just Jackson and I we went to subway and got dinner during half time. As we came out of subway it began sprinkling, by the time we got home it was snowing---snowflakes the size of quarters! It was then I was very glad I was not sitting at the BYU Football game holding Jackson and trying to keep him dry.

After we ate dinner I took him outside to explore it. He kept sticking his hands out in front of him as if to try to catch it or feel it or something, it was very cute ( if I do say so myself). He sat down and crawled in it and just laughed and laughed. It was really funny to watch him.

He loved the snow and couldn't get enough of it. We were out there for about 20 minutes, when I realized I was freezing and Jackson probably was too. My fingers were bright red and I hadn't even touched the snow like he had. So I dragged him back inside...kicking and screaming. He really didn't want to come in. He was so soaking wet and I couldn't believe that he wanted more.

I've decided we need to invest in some warm snow clothes. I had thought about it before, but wondering if we would get all the gear on and then 5 minutes later he would just want to go back inside, but seeing how much he loved it yesterday (while he was freezing to death) made decide to make the big purchase. If anyone knows where to get cheapish snow stuff, let me know. I want him to be warm, but I don't necessarily want to pay top dollar.

New found loves

Jackson is getting quite the personality. Yesterday, I was trying to video him doing his sign language. I would ask him a word and he would sign it to me. Eventually, he laid his head down and I asked him another sign, which he did. Then when I asked him to sign, book, he slid out of the chair and started walking away. I asked him the sign again and he looked and me and signed "all done, all done" and went to play with his toys. It cracked me up that he just told me that he was "all done" and walked away.

(Jackson signing Monkey)

Here are a few of Jackson's new loves....

Every time we get in the car and I put my sunglasses on, Jackson starts crying and reaching for them, until I give in. Here he is in all his sunglass glory.

He is also really loving this new Giant coloring book. He thinks it is great to sit right in the middle and color all around him.

He is still loving his stuffed animals and seems to have one under his arm at all times.

He is loving "fishy" crackers and will sign, fish, and then stick his finger in his mouth and tip his head back. It cracks me up. A few weeks ago, we were watching his Baby Signs video, when suddenly he got out of my arms and walked away. A few seconds later he returned with the fish crackers in one hand and signing, fish, with the other.

He loves to be in the kitchen. The second that anyone steps in the kitchen he starts signing, food and saying, "mmm, mmm.....", and follows closely behind them until he gets whatever treat they are eating. This is a picture of him "helping" my mom make Texas sheet cake the other night.

Jackson can label all the parts of his face. Diaper changing had become next to impossible, when one day I thought I would just start asking him where everything was on his face. He now lays very still and waits to hear what I am going to ask him to find.

(Jackson signing book)

When Jackson wants a drink he walks over to the fridge and signs drink and then waits for someone to open the fridge. I have put his sippy cups on the bottom shelf, so that as soon as the fridge is open he can reach in and get what he wants. When he is done, he will usually put the sippy cup back on the shelf and then help me close the door.

Jackson has to wave goodbye to anyone leaving the house. If he doesn't get to say goodbye or he realizes someone has left he will throw a fit. And it's not good enought to just stand inside the house, because then he thinks that the person is just outside and he bangs on the door they left from. So everytime someone leaves we walk outside to the car with them and walk goodbye, give hugs, and kisses unil the car disappears from view.

Jackson Dancing...again

I know that I posted a video of him dancing before, but it was one that I took while he was in is car seat. This one shows "his moves" a little better.

I-15

Yesterday, Jackson and I were coming home from a play date with Sarah and Jen. We were driving along I-15, between the 800 N. freeway entrance and the Lindon Exit, when traffic began slowing. I started pushing on my brakes and suddenly I heard the sound of screeching tires and the crunching of two cars hitting.

Inside I thought, oh good, I wasn't in the accident, but as quick as that thought came a car slid into the drivers side, of the car, and hit us. I could see shattering glass everywhere and thought my window had been broken, but later realized it was the other car's windshield that had been shattered and sprayed across us.

I looked in my side mirror to see the white car that had hit us spinning and knocking into a blue trail blazer that was now also spinning. Traffic was at a complete stand still with all of us scattered across the three lanes of traffic.

I looked at Jackson and realized he was alright and then just started crying. I knew that we were blessed and nothing was wrong with either of us, but adrenaline kicked in and I just began crying. Jackson has always been really tuned into my emotions and as soon as I started crying so did he. He was reaching for me and I knew he wanted out of his carseat.

I don't know if anyone else has felt this before, but there is a strange silence and stillness that follows a car accident. It seemed as though Jackson's crying was muffled. Anyway, I didn't know what to do. I sat there and pulled myself together and then decided I had better get my car out of the middle of the freeway. I drove slowly into the carpool lane.

Then got out of the car and pulled Jackson (now screaming) out of his carseat. Traffic wasn't coming through and police officers were on the scene in seconds. A police officer ran up to me and told me to get back in the car, just to be safe. The white car was crunched and torned apart. The man in the white car was bleeding everywhere. And I didn't feel like there was any movement in the blue TrailBlazer.

The officer helped me move my car across the freeway the the emergency lane. Luckily everyone was fine. The man in the white car was taken to the hospital in an abulance, but treated for minor stitches and perhaps a broken arm. The man in the blue TrailBlazer was fine, minor bumps and cuts, but nothing serious.

They towed both the other cars away, but my car was okay. It needed a new tire and the police officer and another man helped me put the spare tire on. The car is really banged up on the drivers side and my dad took it in to be repaired today, but we are alright.

Once Jackson calmed down, he was scared to have me put him down, but everytime the police officer would come our direction, Jackson would cover his mouth and nose (with his hands) and start laughing and trying to hide his head. It was hilarious. I have NO IDEA what he was thinking, but it gave a little comic relief to the whole situation and everyone around us.

While my tire was being fixed, I asked the police officer what had happened. He told me he had been parked on the right hand side of the freeway and saw the whole thing happen and it was caught on his camera. Crazy huh?! So here's was happened. Traffic was slowing, but the man in the blue Trail Blazer was following way too close to the white car and when he pushed on his brakes, the Trail Blazer slammed into him. The way the cars hit, sent the white car flying (literally) through the air and it then slammed into the side of my car.

Both the other men are lucky to be alive and he said, if they hadn't had their seatbelts on they probably wouldn't be. I myself am glad we were hit where we were, because nothing happened to us. Sure we are out a car for a little bit, but wow, we are alright--a little stiff this morning, but nothing to complain about.

I wish I had a picture of our car, but forgot to take one before it was taken to be fixed this morning, so sorry. Well, this is definitely one of those times that you count your blessings and give thanks for being safe.

Stabbing Food


Okay, so that sounds a little violent, but it is really not meant to be. I say that to Jackson when he is using a fork lately, but never really thought about what it sounded like until now. Maybe I better be a little more careful. :)

Anyway, Jackson is using silverware and loving it! He thinks it is so much fun, but because of this he never wants to stop and usually gets his mouth a little too full.

Here are a few pictures of him eating with a fork...exciting, maybe only to me, because now I can eat dinner while he is eating dinner--trust me this is a first. I feel like I am always still eating after everyone has cleared up their plates and headed out of the kitchen. sob, sob. I'm over it. :)

I just thought we would share this new fun milestone!

I was tagged by Mitzi....so here it goes...

5 Things I was doing 10 years ago:

1. I was on our school's Dance Company.
2. Watching "Wild Hearts Can't be Broken" or "Les Miserables" every Friday night in my friend Melissa's Basement
3. Trying to learn how to Ski and riding the Ski Bus up to Solitude every other Saturday, during the winter months
4. Being awkward...I was in Jr. High, nuf said.
5. Going to Stake Dances


5 Things on my "To Do" list today:

1. Take Jackson to get his one year old pictures taken
2. Work on my Independent Study
3. Read about Photoshop and practice using it
4. Finish the laundry (Okay so it's finished, but I really need to fold it. The worst part of doing laundry, in my opinion)
5. Make the Bed....right after I am done with this, promise.


5 Songs I know the Lyrics to:

1. Almost anything Country....let's see the most current Country song I find myself singing "I want My Mullet Back" Billy Ray Cyrus, but I know almost all of Tim McGraw's songs, Dierks Bentley, and Carrie Underwood to name a few.
2. High School Musical Soundtracks One and Two (along with some of the dance moves...I blame my sister Rachael)
3. All of the Schoolhouse Rock's Greatest Hits (I am not sure if any of you remember these from your childhood, but I sure do. And then last year when I drove a school Carpool I bought this CD, now all of the kids I drove around listen to and love these songs.
4. The whole Les Miserables Soundtrack. I listened to these and knew them all by heart before I had ever seen it preformed. I suddenly understood why my mom always told me not to hum or sing the Lovely Ladies Song...oops. This is probably my all time favorite Musical (I love Wicked too...I don't know, which is my favorite).
5. "Better Together" Jack Johnson


5 Things I would Do if I had a Million Dollars

1. Pay off our school loans...of course
2. Buy a super nice DSLR Cannon 5D, along with as many len's as I would like
3. Buy a house
4. Go on a shopping Spree for he whole family
5. Buy a second car...one that guzzles a little less gas. Oh and trade in our current car for a Honda Pilot or Odyssy


5 Things I'll never wear again...

1. My brother's oldjeans. For some reason I thought they were so cool in Jr. High and I would wear them all the time. gag.
2. Layered Socks...scunched down around my ankles, so that each color matched a scrunchie in my hair. What was I thinking?
3. Poofed Bangs...I've decided that even though my hair is naturally curly, no one should ever do this anymore!
4. Anything made by Umbro, Guess, or LA Gear
5. My clothes 5 sizes too big and baggie


5 Favorite Toys

1. Marc's Ipod
2. Jackson's Fisherprice Farm House (He loves this thing and could play with it for hours)
3. Our iMac Computer
4. Blogging...I don't know if it is considered a "toy", but Blogging definitely takes up enough time to be considered a toy in my book.
5. My easy Bake oven from when I was a kid. One of my all time favorite toys. I have come to appreciate R2D2 though because of J.T.


The 5 people I am tagging....

1. Amy M.
2. Jessica D.
3. Rachael M.
4. Alisa H.
5. Erin L.

A Play Date with Inspiration

I stole these pictures off of Chad and Erin's blog, but I just had to post them. It was a great day and a major step in Jackson's life.

So this past Tuesday, I took Jackson down to Erin's parents home (since she is in town visiting) and had a little play date. Her daughter Brianna is a doll! Jackson and her seemed to get along really well.

While we were there Erin, feed Bri some lunch. Jackson of course wanted what Brianna was having, but Erin had him sign the word "more" when he continued to come back for more. He started signing "more" on his own and watched very closely when Bri would make a sign and get something in return.

Jackson began signing the things Bri was and got the same great rewards. We popped in one of their signing videos and Jackson just started picking things up so quickly. He suddenly knew about 7 signs in about 15 minutes. It was crazy. At one point he just suddenly looked at his hands and started grinning, as if he was thinking, "Wow, look what I can do with my hands!" Which Erin caught with her camera.

Right after we left I drove to Barnes and Noble and bought him the same signing video. We have watched it almost everyday since then and he can sign...Cat, Dog, Bird, Car, More, Food, Drink, Candy (of course), and a few more! It has been so fun watching him realize he can communicate with me about the world around him.

All the credit goes to Erin on this one though. I took all the sign langauge classes offered at BYU, and always said I wanted to teach my kids sign language as toddlers (so we could communicate, before they could talk), but look at me, lazy mom, who tried to teach the sign "more" and gave up after a few days. So, thanks Erin, for inspiring me to actually use sign language with Jackson. It has sure been a major help.

It's "another Cougar First Down"...

BYU Football season has arrived! The first game was this past Saturday against Arizona. They won, even though they were picked to lose against Arizona--looks like we could be in for another great BYU football season. :)

It was a sweltering game sitting in the direct afternoon sunlight most of the game. I of course, not being very smart wore pants...uh, very dumb idea I know. Then I held Jackson on my Lap who was a sweaty mess, making me that much hotter.

I was fanning Jackson and giving him tons of fluids, when I thought, pull out one of the ice packs. He instantly put it to his forehead and left it there! It was so cute. I could just tell how hot he was (as pictured above). :)
At half time my Mom and I took Jackson out to the grass and let him roam and cool down. He loved it out there.

A group of boys about 8 and 9 were playing a game of football, Jackson thought it was great. He ran circles trying to follow the ball around.

One of the boys had Jackson join the huddle and made him the star of the next play. They said "hike" and handed him the ball. Jackson was beaming and trying to run (not really in any direct), then one of the boys picked him up and ran him into the endzone. It was great.

A few plays later they passed him the ball again and one of the boys (softly) tackled him to the ground. Jackson was laughing and laughing. He thought it was so fun. He had no idea what was going on, but he sure loved the attention. :)

It was a fun game! We are excited for the fun season ahead. We just wish Marc could've been there too, but alas, it seems Ken Garff will work him every Saturday and Holiday (because those are the best car selling days). We missed having you there Marc, maybe on a Thursday game you can come.

A flash from the past...

Some of you may know Marc and his humorous videos, but for those of you who have never seen this side of him, I thought I would post one one here. I just randomly found this video on YouTube, I mean I've seen it before, but I don't know who posted it to YouTube. He and his friends made this movie for a ward talent show when we were living at Roman Gardens. Anyway for your enjoyment...or maybe Marc's embarassment...



And in more current news...

Yesterday, I was putting Jackson's high chair away and he was acting fussy. I had my back towards him and I said, "After I put this away lets get some chocolate for dessert, okay? Would you like some chocolate?"

Of course who doesn't like chocolate. But Jackson stopped fussing and stood up and walked over to the "chocolate cupboard" and started banging on it and saying "mmmm, mmm..." It was really cute.

I don't think I give that kid enough credit for what he understands.

Because just today I asked him where the football was. I said it looking at him and not at anything else. He started looking around and then walked out of the room and returned with the football in hand.

Okay, so maybe I am bias because I am his mom, but I think I've got at pretty smart kid. :)

Major Updates....

The slacker sister I have, just decided to update her blog for THE ENTIRE SUMMER!!! So check it out.....there are some pretty sweet pics, seeing as she has graduated, traveled to Europe and back, and colored her hair to start a new phase in life...Freashman Year at BYU.

Click here to see her blog...RACHAEL

Dancing

Jackson dances the second he hears any music. He seems to be most fond of Miley Cyrus aka Hannah Montana, courtesy of Rachael and I. One our way home from the petting zoo the other day, Jackson was dancing in his car seat. It is mostly in his hips, so this doesn't catch his full dancing potential, but I thought I would share it anyway. Enjoy.

Marc's day off

Since Marc began working at Honda, he has every Thursday off--not Fridays and not Saturdays... (since those are the biggest selling days). But because it is the middle of the week and it doesn't seem like a day off, we usually don't use the day to our advantage. However, with the summer coming to a close and knowing that the weather will eventually get colder. We took full advantage of this past Thursday.

Marc, started off te day mowing the lawn (he usual Thursday chore) and then we (Marc, Me, and Rachael) took Jackson to the petting zoo at Thanksgiving Point. I have been wanting to take Jackson there for a long time. Jackson loves animals and just seems mesmerized by them when they are around. He was fine with the small cute little goats that make small little sounds, then he approached a large goat, he was smiling and kicking and suddenly it let out the loudest noise I have ever heard, about six inches away from Jackson's face. He crumbled to the ground and started screaming! He tried to climb up Marc as fast as he could! It was so sad. He did enjoy the other animals though, chickens, pigs, horses, and ducks. He also went on a ride on a pony and seemed to enjoy that too. It turned out the be a fun outing.


Then when we got home we went swimming. Which was also a lot of fun. We laid Jackson down for a nap and then got a little more relaxing afternoon out by the pool.


Marc finished up the evening night swimming with Craig, Rachael, and my Dad...too bad I didn't get any pictures. But they seemed to have fun playing basketball, racing, and challenging each other to other things. I guess a marathon day of all the fun things we should've been doing on his day's off might make up for some of the lost time...maybe?!

Jackson is WALKING!


On Wednesday, August 7th he suddenly decided to start walking. We have tried time and time again to have him walk between us or the couch and he will take one or two steps, but the other day he suddenly decided to take 15 steps!!! My dad stood him up and he just walked across the room to me (Marc was at work and was sad he missed all the fun, but has since seen Jackson in action). He gets around so easily and seems to love the new freedom. I haven't called it walking yet, because when he falls down he begins crawling again---I guess I just pictured him being able to fall down and then stand back up and keep going. But from what I understand he is walking and loving it! I'm excited to not having him crawling through everything and getting so dirty from the gross places he decides to crawl. I have been waiting for this moment for a LONG time! Here is a clip of him walking(we had him walking so much the first evening I had to bribe him with chocolate to do it for the camera)...

Post #100

I never thought this day would come...100 posts! It is crazy how much blogging has become part of our lives. I'm not sure which one of my cousins got the blogging ball rolling, but I am sure glad it did! I have loved keeping in touch with people through blogs. It has been the best way for us to get information about what we are doing or thinking out to all of you. I can guarantee that not every post has been exciting or will be in the future, but how great to have a way to keep in touch. I hope that this blogging thing will continue until we have another blogging anniversary. It will be one year on August 28 that we joined the ranks of blogging.

In honor of all the fun and to celebrate this not-so-momentous occasion, I'm going to ask you to leave a comment. I know this is might be a bit of a stretch for some, because I myself am often a blog lurker and don't post comments on others blogs, but I'd love to know who reads our family blog. And I'd like to be able to say Hello to you too.

Happy Blogging, hope to hear from all you of readers out there!

Fun Facts about the number 100:

• The number of years in a century
• A 100 year old person is known as a centenarian
• The number of runs required for a cricket batsman to score a Century, a significant milestone
• The denomination of the U.S. hundred-dollar bill with Benjamin Franklin's portrait; the "Benjamin" is the largest U.S. bill in print
• The denomination of American savings bonds with Thomas Jefferson's portrait
• The denomination of American treasury bonds with Andrew Jackson's portrait
• The number of tiles in a standard Scrabble set
• In Greece, India and Israel, 100 is the police telephone number.
• In Belgium, 100 is the ambulance telephone number.
• In United Kingdom, 100 is the operator telephone number
• "The First Hundred Days" is an arbitrary benchmark of a President of the United States' performance at the beginning of his term
• The number of poems in the Japanese poetry anthology Hyakunin Isshu
• The record number of points scored in one NBA game, set by Wilt Chamberlain on March 2, 1962
• 100 metres, a racing distance
• Historical years: AD 100 or 100 BC.
• To 100% a video game means to get every possible item or collectible. (Such as heart Pieces in The Legend of Zelda.)
• 100 is the atomic number of fermium, an actinide
• 100 degrees Celsius is the boiling temperature of pure water at sea level

A new love...

Jackson has found a new cupboard. It has always been there and it has always been full of toys, but since it is usually me and him playing, we never get into it. We just play with all of his big toys sitting out all the time. However, since Tyler and Susie have been here he has discovered the Toy cupboards. Today, while we were out shopping, he was so tired, I thought he would take a nap right when we got home. But I set him down and let him play and he got a second wind...he played for 1 1/2 hours in he game room all by himself! This has NEVER happened before! It was great to feel like I could get something done while he was awake. I really hope this is a trend that will continue. (plus right after that I layed him down for a nap and he went right to sleep....big smiles here). :)

Why I haven't blogged for a while...

Kevin and Amy and there kids have been here visiting. It has been great to watch Tyler, Susie and Jackson interact. Jackson just follows Tyler everywhere and no matter what Tyler does Jackson is laughing. Yesterday we went on a picnic up the canyon. We have had fun swimming, cleaning up the game room mess of Toys, going out to dinner, cleaning up the game room, talking and going on walks, cleaning up the game room, going to the mall, and picking up the game room. Those kids sure know how to pull every toy out of the cupboards in lightening speed, but it does keep them occupied. :)

Welcome Home Elder Craig Martin!

We left Marc's family reunion and headed straight to SLC Airport to pick up Craig (and my parents, Ryan, and Rachael...who had gone over to "actually pick him up" and do a little traveling) from his mission. Kristi and Derek were at the airport with us too. Kristi (our cousin) and Craig served in the same mission (Hungry, Budapest). There flight was left circling around the airport for an hour, because of thunder and lightening in SLC. It has been so great to have him home. (sorry for the sideway's pictures the computer isn't rotating them for some reason). Craigs homecoming fell the day after, our cousin, Alisa's wedding, so we had a lot of family around. It has been a lot of fun!

These pictures are for Liz. I thought these were so funny of Calvin and Jackson. The lighting is a little weird in them, but there faces are great. These were taken the day of Craig's homecoming.

Island Park


Marc's family had an extended family reunion in Island Park, ID a week ago.
It was a lot of fun. We stayed at a cabin right on the lake with all of Marc's Cousin's and Aunts and Uncles. The day we arrived, I was pulling Jackson out of the car and all of the sudden he started throwing up all over me! It was discusting! So he seemed a little under the weather the first few days, but we did get him out on a tube behind one of the boats....I only wish I had a picture of it! I don't know why I didn't get one. Anyway, I got a high fever and felt like throwing up, but luckily never did. I was glad Marc was able to enjoy the boats and he learned how to surf. He's awesome...check out his moves.... :)