Fun with diaper boxes

It is amazing how much fun you can have with empty boxes, a few markers, and some paper plates. The kids played in this "train" for hours!

A Much Needed Update

This past Saturday Grand Rapids had a Car Show. We had a lot of fun walking around looking at all the old cars. Part of the show was a display of old Fire Trucks. Daniel walked through a fire safety house. We also watched a demonstration of how they get hurt people out of very bad wrecks. Daniel watched in awe as the firemen cut open the front wind shield of the car, then they cut off the doors, and then the roof! They did all of this in just a matter of minutes. Daniel also learned the importance of wearing his seat belt. Although Daniel always wears his seat belt with no problems, the officer put Daniel in the seat belt convincer. This shows you the impact that you feel when you are in a wreck going 5 miles an hour. You get quite the jolt from this thing! When the car hit the bottom Daniel just goes "WOW!"
One of Daniel's favorite things there (actually probably his most favorite thing) was he got to play video games at the Best Buy tent. They had a real retired race car that he looked at. Then he got to play a virtual racing game. He was not tall enough to reach the peddles so the Best Buy man came and pushed down the gas for him. He did a pretty good job racing until the last lap he rammed into another car and did a flip, flew up in the air and landed upside down. Then his game was over.

This is just one of the many cars we saw there. Daniel liked this one because it was the same color as "Flo" from the movie CARS.

Monica's One Year Pictures

Last Thursday I took Monica in for her 1 year pictures at JC Penny. I cannot believe how big she has gotten. I always order their smiles by wire so I can have the proofs of the pictures to save on my computer. Here are just a few of the pictures they took. She is so darling!

My Children

This is what happens when Uncle Dave has too much free time!

Happy Birthday Monica Marie Jones!

My sweet baby girl is one year old today! She is so full of personality and she makes me smile everyday. I love her with all my heart. This year has flown by and today I was thinking how I need to cherish every moment before she is all grown up! Since we already had cake for Brandon's birthday I decided to go with a big cookie instead. Monica did not seem to mind the switch and had a lot of fun eating the icing!


Daniel went to walmart with me and picked out this baby doll for Monica. He said that he thought it was a good present for her. I think he is right. She really seems to like it. One of her favorite things to do in the nursery is try to take away all the babies pacifiers. This baby doll has a pacifier and Monica has found that no matter how many times she puts it in and pulls it out of the dolls mouth the baby doll never cries. It is fun to watch her take out the pacifier and put it back in over and over again.

Brandon's Surprise Birthday Party

I was able to throw a surprise birthday party for Brandon's 30th birthday. It was a lot of fun to have our friends together celebrating with us. Thanks to everyone who came, you helped make this day special!

Monica's Mohawk

While we were in Kansas City Nanny took all of us to the pool for the afternoon. The kids had a lot of fun. Monica loves the water and is pretty much fearless. After we put a life jacket on Daniel he was able to swim the entire length of the pool by himself. He was very proud and so was I!

Monica and Daniel playing at the mall

Priceless Pictures

While we were in Kansas City we were able to take Grandpa Jones (who is almost 92) in to get pictures taken with us. The pictures that they took are priceless. I love the one of the four generations.

Happy 30th Birthday!

Happy Birthday to you my dear sweet love. I love you with all my heart. You are the love of my life. You are a great husband and father. Your children adore you and you are greatly missed when you are not at the house. It was fun to see you have a day of sloth and playing nintendo games like a little kid. I am so glad that I was able to give that to you. You are my friend, my sweetheart, my SF!

A much needed update

Things have been kind of busy around here so far this summer. I am sorry for those who keep checking my blog and not seeing anything new. Here are some random pictures from the last couple of weeks.


All of us visiting Grandpa the day before he went into the hospital. Since then he has been moved to Hospice care.


My first attempt to be a good mother and make my son a birthday cake of his dreams. I did not have a cake pan to form the shape, or to help me, so this is what I came up with. Not to shabby huh?

My little larry boy loved it.


My darling Monica at the pool. She loves water!

Then I realized I was bitter and I was all torn up inside....

Have you ever wondered why the wicked prosper while the righteous suffer? Have you ever been mad at God that people like Hugh Hefner and Donald Trump have billions when you struggle so much from day to day just to survive? I have to confess that this a thought that creeps into my mind when I sit down and look at the check book and wonder how this month is going to work out. With Brandon's grandfather ill and the expense of the unexpected trips to Kansas City the last month this thought has been on my mind more and more. So why is it that the righteous suffer while the wicked seem to prosper. Amazingly God answered this question for me a couple of days ago. Bear with me a minute while I take you through Psalm 73 and at the end you will also have the answer to this question.
"Truly God is good to Israel, to those whose hearts or PURE. But as for me, I almost lost my footing, my feet were slipping, and I was almost gone, for I envied the proud when I saw them prosper despite their wickedness. They seem to live such painless lives, their bodies are so healthy and strong. They don't have troubles like other people, they're not plagued with problems like everyone else. They wear pride like a jeweled necklace and clothe themselves with cruelty. These fat cats HAVE EVERYTHING THIER HEARTS COULD EVER WISH FOR! They scoff and speak only evil; in their pride they seek to CRUSH OTHERS. They boast against the very heavens, and their words strut throughout the earth. And so the people are dismayed and confused drinking in all their words. "WHAT DOES GOD KNOW?" they ask. "DOES THE MOST HIGH EVEN KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENING?" Look at these wicked people enjoying a life of ease while their RICHES MULTIPLY? "DID I KEEP MY HEART PURE FOR NOTHING? DID I KEEP MYSELF INNOCENT FOR NO REASON?" I get NOTHING but TROUBLE all day long; every morning brings me pain. If I had really spoken this way to others I would have been a traitor to your people. So I tried to understand why the wicked prosper. But what a difficult task it is! Then I went into your sanctuary, O God, and I finally UNDERSTOOD THE DESTINY OF THE WICKED." Truly, you put them on a slippery path and send them sliding over the cliff to destruction. In an instant they are destroyed, completely swept away by terrors. When you arise, O Lord, you will laugh at their silly ideas as a person laughs at the dreams in the morning. THEN I REALIZED that my heart was BITTER, and I was all torn up inside. I was so foolish and ignorant- I must have seemed like a senseless animal to you. Yet I still BELONG TO YOU; you hold my right hand. You guide me with your council, leading me to a glorious destiny. Whom have I in heaven but you? I desire you more than anything on earth. My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak, but God remains the strength of my heart. he is MINE FOREVER. Those who desert him will perish, for you destroy those who abandon you. But as for me, how good it is to be near God! I have made the Sovereign Lord my shelter, and I will tell everyone about the wonderful things you do."


After reading such a passage how can I now envy the wicked. Their destiny is the wrath of God where mine is the be in his glory for eternity. I might struggle here on earth, but I will be rewarded for my faithfulness. I am now convicted when I think that I deserve more than that, I sound like a "senseless animal" to God, and that those who do not belong to him will see his wrath. They will be judged for the wicked they do. Praise the Lord for his faithfulness to my family. Praise him for our Salvation, which is worth more than any riches that can be found on this earth.

Family Fun

I woke up Monday morning full of excitement. Is today really the day? I have not seen my sister, brother in law, or their beautiful children in over a year. Ever since we moved to Michigan and they moved to Idaho it has been really hard to try to figure out how we can see each other. Our chance had finally arrived. Brandon and I were in Kansas City visiting family, and Andrea and her family were flying in to attend a youth camp in Arkansas. They were going to be in Kansas City for 1 day. I jumped out of bed, and got myself ready as quickly as possible. Then Brandon and I together got the kids ready. We ate our breakfast, loaded in the van and off we went. I could hardly believe that I was finally going to get to kiss Madelyn, hug Brennan and meet Autumn! After about 40 minutes in the car we drove up to the house where they were staying. In the drive way stood Madelyn. She looked puzzled at our van as if she was wondering who it was driving up the drive way. After parking I got out of the van and yelled "Madelyn come see your Aunt Marci" her face light up like a christmas tree and she came running as fast as she could. She jumped on me, wrapped her skinny little legs around my waist, and her arms around my neck and hugged me so tight. My only response was to cry. What a beautiful moment. I will never forget it! The day continued to get better and better. I got to hold my beautiful Autumn Grace. I got to play with Madelyn and Brennan. I got to talk to Andrea, and hug her neck. We were together for 7 hours, and yet it seemed like just a few minutes. I am not sure when the next time I will see them again is, but at least I have a few precious memories to hold on to!

The Boys!

Here are some pictures of the boys playing.






I really enjoyed watching Brennan play. He concentrates so hard on what he is doing.

The Girls

Here are a few pictures of the girls playing together.