Jones Family

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So it’s been awhile…

Well surprisingly enough people have still visited my blog even though I’ve basically taken an extended summer hiatus. I’m sure that’s just from all the RSS, Google searches and keywords that I to this day don’t have a clue how to really work well, but apparently 15-30 people a day do. So thanks! I wasn’t really sure what to do with my blog since it’s been awhile so I came to the conclusion that I will pick up right where I left off, and then fill you in on what I’ve been doing in between.

My friend Beth was about to welcome her 1st little one into the world and since then, he has obviously arrived – along with about 20 other friend’s babies. Needless to say I still have my 2 fuzzy brown children and a husband to contend to. Wow, I suddenly realized how much I do have to update! So, here’s to picking up where I left off with my favorites of Beth’s ADORABLE Isaac from a couple months ago.

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He’s Almost Here!

Nope. That’s not a reference to myself – at all. For all you waiting for me to get pregnant or just an early wish for Christmas, I am not expecting – and Santa is still in Bermuda somewhere. BUT a long lost friend is – and yes, her little boy is almost here! My favorite history teacher in the world (right after you Ms. Watts, of course!) is going to be a Grandpa! I couldn’t believe it when Beth emailed me and said she lived 30 minutes away from me – and then I couldn’t believe how flattered I was she wanted me to take pictures of her and her very sweet – and not reluctant to smile for an hour – husband, Lance. But seriously, if you had told me 10 years ago I’d be doing this for her, we both probably would’ve laughed. But congratulations Beth and Lance!! Love the last few weeks of quiet and years to come of a ton of laughter!!

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I had a chicken in my eggs…

So this past weekend was Easter and it was only the second time in history that I wasn’t with my mom. Well, my history. She had about 20 something without me. I digress. Anyway, so I decided to make everything like I knew Easter – ham, potato salad, homemade mac and cheese, green bean casserole, buttery crescent rolls…and some kind of dessert. Well it was my first attempt at the homemade mac and cheese and I can describe that in one word: *FAIL*. I’m currently using it for a weapon in case someone breaks into my house – hard mass of yellow cheesiness with sharp jagged edges. It’ll get ya! But while it was cooking, I decided I was going to complete another old tradition – dying eggs!! I was so excited…haven’t done it, in, well…awhile. But thanks to my mom, I had a shiny brown Easter box delivered the day before with none other than a PAAS Egg dying kit – the best kind of course!

I decided to do 8 eggs in 4 colors so I could have 2 of each: yellow, green, red and blue (keep those colors in mind for later). So in between cooking my failed mac and cheese, I put the dye pieces in the coffee cups of vinegar (mom’s way!) and waited. I boiled my eggs and placed one in each cup. Now here’s a question: why were some sinkers and some floaters? Don’t tell me you’ve never asked that before. I just hoped I hadn’t boiled a little yellow chicken in one of my sinkers.

So after letting them sit FOREVER, because I wanted “dark, vibrant” colors, I set them out to dry. Somehow, I ended up with pinky orange, purple with pink speckles, army greenish brown and orange. My first conclusion is, well I have no clue how that happened. But then as they were drying, one of my pinky oranges starts cracking….like something is trying to get out of it. All I can say is that I’m terrified of the fuzzy “stressed” (as my dad calls them) chickens at Pier 1 – they’re gonna come get me. I swear there was a chicken in my egg…..<—-the crazy stressed chicken at Pier 1 that I boiled in my egg that scares me

Tennis Ball ADD

So it’s been awhile, obviously and I thought I needed to start blogging again. I wanted to kinda get back to my interesting to read, “witty” ideas as someone recently called me. When thinking about what I should write, Koda comes and drops a ball in my lap. I kind of ignore him because I’m deep in serious thought and he proceeds to pick it and…and drop it in my lap again. I know what he’s doing. This is my almost 6 year old fuzzy brown child begging for my attention, and I find him to be cuter when I don’t give it to him. 

So he again picks it up, kinda dances around with it…front legs go down, little wiggly bottom and tail wagging in the air…and he drops it towards me again. This is about the 46th time he’s done this today. I have decided, that my dog has TBADD – Tennis Ball ADD.

I did a little research and found that it’s a fairly normal disease – most dogs his age seem to have it and it dissipates with age. It can become contagious among other dogs as well as some humans. It can come and go depending on their moods, how hungry they may be at any given time and boredom seems to play a role too. It’s something they’ll do even when you’ve thrown it and they slide into the wall to catch it, or if you throw it down the back yard so far and fast they’re just compelled to go get it. Or even when they’re too tired from this repetitious activity, he’ll still go get it that last time – because I’m sure as heck not walking all the way down to the other side of the yard where it went under the house to get it.

So if every time you find that moment to sit still, and are trying to relax and take some time to yourself and your dog brings you a tennis ball that HAS to be thrown or they will pee on the floor…just make their furry little butts happy and toss it a few times. Not only does it give you this sense of power…but they’ll come cuddle with you that night with thanks

Snow Photo of the day!

So this was taken last night after it had been snowing for almost 4 hours.

New photo of the day

It has been awhile! A lot has been going on that I actually just needed a break from my camera for a little while. THEN, it snows! Only, I had a fever a runny nose and could care less if it was piling up 2 feet outside. So I missed that…but now, it’s snowing again! And this past week I joined Professional Photographers of South Carolina and got a little inspiration to pick my camera up again. So, with it already freezing my knuckles off, here’s my photo of the day – and it’s only been snowing for an hour! Get ready for more!!

Kelly’s Bridal Portrait

Dude’s Christmas Picture and our Christmas Card

As you have seen by now, I have not only one photogenic pup, but two. This is great practice for when I have kids because they both have been the subject of my amusement and they can’t say anything about it. For our Christmas cards this year, I actually had a willing husband who smiled as many times as I asked him to, and even did a wardrobe change!

Koda’s Christmas Picture

Now that I’ve gotten into this whole blog thing, I like to look up others, especially photographers, and just see what they’re up to. How they do things…what they like to show…but mostly just read the stories behind the pictures. One of my favorites (shameless plug, but true!) is my friend Collin Smith. He’s a great photographer, but I love the pictures of his kids. His wife writes the blog, so it has extra little details in it that men don’t catch. So I LOVE reading the stories about what’s going on in the pictures.

Well I’ve only been married for 17 months, so we don’t have kids, but we do have two fuzzy brown 5 year olds. Needless to say, last year’s Christmas picture was shockingly flawless on the first take. I don’t know how lucky I’m gonna be with that this year, so I’m practicing (if you haven’t noticed in other posts). Koda was feeling extra photogenic tonight, I guess because he was just sitting on the couch next to me staring with his big brown eyes, and I couldn’t resist. Hopefully this cute attentiveness will stick around for the Christmas card…it’s my husband’s willingness I’m worried about!

In the one above, I think he’s debating which ornament he’s going to eat, although luckily, he’s never bothered my tree…

he hops up in the chair daily…seriously…daily, and sniffs his stocking. I’ve spoiled him…