CONGRATULATIONS BRETT!!

Today is the big day - 1st day on the job!!! How exciting. It is so great that you and Kelsey will work so close together and be able to transit and eat lunch together. All I have to say is David Baker Partners Architects and Chronicle Books are two very lucky companies!! They have to be great companies because they HIRED THE BEST!

*UPDATE* Here's a picture of Brett outside his office this morning :)

-kelsey

w.i.n.t.e.r.t.i.m.e

It's been a while since anyone has posted on the blog so I though I would take a minute & just share some about the last couple of weeks with our blog buddies. but 1st off I just want to say CONGRATS to brett on your new job. We are so proud of you.

last weekend my best friend, Jarron came for a visit
weddings, concerts & staying at a hotel made for a fun-filled weekend

monday was mom's birthday. we had her a small little party at the house.
side note: it was also kelsey's birthday. kelsey, we missed you. hope your b'day was great

saturday was grand-daddy's 83rd birthday
we spent the day thrift-shopping & eating bar-b-que

& eating nonna's homemade coconut cake

& we finished the weekend out with some pretty awesome mail
my acceptance letter to the University of Alabama

We hope that all of you had a very pleasant weekend as well

SNOW DAY

So as you all have probably heard & most of you have experienced, Alabama has been hit by a winter storm. Oh boy, it has been fun & if I must say. . . . a great start to the semester with class being canceled yesterday & today.

MOM SLEDDING

DAD BROUGHT THE HUNTING HAT OUT

ME TRYING TO PUSH DAD. IT ENDED ABOUT HOW IT LOOKS, POORLY.
SURPRISED I DIDN'T BREAK HIS OTHER HIP

ME & DAD RACING, YOU SHALL SEE WHO WINS IN THE VIDEO AT THE END

THE FAMILY - BRETT & KELSEY. WE MISSED YOU

AND HERE IS THE VIDEO YOU'VE ALL BE WAITING FOR.
I ALMOST HIT A MAILBOX BUT IT WAS FUN.

MK

Don't get me wrong. I was a little bitter that mom, terri, debbie & mara jo got to go to the beach this weekend. . . .although, my mom knows me well enough to know what would make it all better. She finally found the Michael Kors watch that I've been slightly obsessed with. We have looked high and low for this watch and she found it while at the beach and surprised me with it on her arrival home. THANK YOU SO MUCH.

ICE

Gif animator

White Christmas

Merry Christmas from the Jones Family

Our very own winter wonderland

Brett opening his new TOMS & Kelsey with her new locket

Harley Grace & her new 4-wheeler

Opening presents after Christmas morning breakfast

The ornament that I got B&K for their 1st Christmas

Snowing pretty hard Christmas morning

B&K

Some of the kids in the family
I loved spending Christmas with my brother & new sissy-in-law

And of course...mom had to get a jumping picture

One of the houses in our neighborhood, it just kept snowing & snowing

SO, we made snow cream

And tried sleding. . . .

The snow wasn't thick enough so we ended up being pulled by a rope

Brett did a better job hanging on than me

We only stayed out a little while since it was so cold & we didn't take the time to find gloves

Some of the family before dinner Christmas night

Harley & Ryder having a ball opening more presents

Our last present for the day. Super soft pajamas


We hope that your Christmas was as amazing and blissful as ours. It was such a blessing to be able to relax and spend time with family & to once again be able to celebrate the birth of our savior. Merry Christmas & a Happy New Year

Historic Alabama

Randy had planned for us to go to the historic Alabama Theatre's Season of Christmas when Brett & Kelsey arrived. Due to their recent home location change, they had to move their arrival date and did not arrive in time to go with us (We missed you both!!)

The two weeks before Christmas the AT begins showing Christmas movies and we chose to watch Home Alone. (It is always funny no matter how many times you've seen it!)

They always have their annual Christmas tree decorated beautifully.

What a fun night!

(PS - Thank you my love!)

Congratulations Kelsey & Brett

CONGRATULATIONS KELSEY

Kelsey has officially accepted a job in San Francisco!!

We are proud of you and excited for the both of you as

you set out to your new hometown on the west coast.

Kelsey will be working with the

Chronicle Books Fellowship which is awesome.

http://www.chroniclebooks.net/designfellowship/

Here are some pictures of her new office.

And here is a tour of the office:

http://grainedit.com/2008/09/04/chronicle-books-office-tour/

Isn't it amazing?

(Brett has applied with the firm that

designed the office and interior space).

This is an answer to prayer and we are expecting any day for

Brett to receive a call for a job offer in the San Francisco area.

Whomever gets these two will definitely be lucky!

Christmas memories . . .

We usually all go together and choose the perfect tree, but this year my sweet husband surprised us and picked out a beautiful Frasier Fir and brought it home. I love the frasier fir trees but they are usually too small for our ceiling. He stopped by just to check on the inventory of trees and spotted the perfect tree (larger in size than normal) and knowing how I love them, he brought it home. (PS - thank you dear for not only picking out the perfect tree, but getting the kind you know I love the best!)

From this . . .

to this!

I love decorating our family tree with all of the many beautiful ornaments Brett & Bethany have made over the years along with a few special ornaments that were purchased to represent special moments in our lives. As we decorate each year, I always think about when and where each treasure came from throughout the years and it always makes my heart smile. So!, I decided to share just a few of my MANY favorite family christmas tree treasures.

Brett's 1st Christmas

Bethany @ Mrs. Judy's

From the Manger to the Cross

(Our early sign for Brett's love of art!)

Bethany's "Little Handprint" Angel

Brett's Santa Stocking

(You can't tell it in the picture, but he even stuffed Santa's

tummy with paper to make him jolly!)

This is Priscilla!

(Bethany had to make a "shoebox play" project and write a short play and make the characters/props for the play. Her story was entitled "ELFis & Priscilla" and it was adorable.)

One of Brett's "journal entries" during the month of December. It is sooo sweet!

Don't worry B&K, we have a couple of new "special ornaments" selected especially for you to hang on the tree upon your arrival!

Merry Christmas to each of you!