I'm a lucky girl

Thanksgiving has come and gone and it makes me think about what a lucky girl I am. I have the most beautiful family: a loving husband and two gorgeous little boys. I love being their wife and mommy. What a blessing to be so happy with my life and not want to be anywhere else in the whole world than in my home with all my boys around me. But it doesn't stop there! I am surrounded by wonderful extended family all over this country who love and support me and my family. The same is true of our good friends. They bless our life daily. One of those family members is outside our country serving a mission for the church. I am so thankful for Elder Anderson, my little brother, and the service he is giving in the Dominican Republic. Speaking of our country, I am blessed to live in this beautiful free country where I can live my life where and how I choose. I am so thankful for my freedom and for those who fight to preserve it and keep us safe. I am so thankful for my Savior, Jesus Christ, and for the truthfulness of the restored gospel in my life that brings me peace and happiness.


We had a very fun and yummy Thanksgiving in Oregon with my in-laws and their good friends the Mitchell's. Darren's sister Jenni came from college and his brother Brad with his girlfriend, Kristy came too. Joseph and Justin loved spending time with Grandma and Grandpa. We fed the ducks at Alton Baker park, looked around Autzen stadium, did a little shopping, watched movies, played games and stuffed ourselves with turkey and pumpkin pie. Thanks for the good time, Jolleys!

A few things of note

Joseph LOVES looking through toy magazines. Here he is hard at work making his Christmas list. As Darren and I were explaining to him how he needs to let Santa know what he'd like for Christmas and then work on being a very good boy, he was visibly troubled by the thought of sitting on Santa's lap at the mall and having to tell him what he wants for Christmas. Way too scary for Joseph! The suggestion of sending him a letter went over a little better.
In other Jolley boy news, Justin has found his feet and they are his new favorite toy. Once in awhile he sucks his big toe. He prefers no socks and no diaper for optimum foot to mouth action.

An eventful weekend

Usually our weekends are fun, just uneventful. But this past weekend was both. Darren and Joseph went to the Sonics/Jazz game on Friday night. They had Darren's firm's tickets on the 8th row! Unfortunately, the little firework display at the very beginning kinda freaked him out. But he was thrilled to see his favorite player, "Number 5 Carlos Boozer," and see the Jazz win. He represented his allegiance to both teams with his Jazz jersey and Sonics hat. Then on Saturday night I got to go out to dinner with my hot husband and several of his co-workers and their wives. (Thanks to our babysitters, our friends the Burgesses.) It was so fun to have a night out on the town and such a yummy dinner with friends.

Help! I'm going to be a single mother for 5 days!

My husband is leaving on a business trip tomorrow night. He'll be gone for 5 days and 5 nights and I'm just a little concerned for my sanity with my two kids. He's been away this long once or twice before, but not since we've had two kids. The days are so long when he's away and I don't have his help with the kiddies in the evening, or his adult conversation after pretending to be Buzz Lightyear or Clifford the Big Red Dog with Joseph all day. The only plusses: Not having to make a "real" dinner because Joseph doesn't mind macaroni and cheese or pancakes, and being able to hold the remote control in the evenings so I don't watch ESPN and I do watch the Oprah re-runs. But it only takes a couple of days for me to tire of bad dinners and miss Darren so much that I leave the TV on SportsCenter while I do the dishes so it feels like he's home. I have so much respect for single mothers and army wives who always carry all the family responsibilities! Any ideas to help keep me from going crazy over the next five days? (I'll probably be bothering most of you on the phone at some point and using you as my adult conversationalists.)

Sunny Autumn Days

Today was the first day in a long while that it rained during the day. It made me sad because it ruined our after-lunch ritual that we started. For 3 days in a row Joseph, Justin and I have been taking a walk around the block and then playing baseball in the backyard while Justin looks on from his stroller. Joseph says, "We are the Mariners and Justin is the people watching us play baseball." It's been so nice to get outside and enjoy the crisp autumn air without all that Seattle moisture getting in the way.

I've been tagged!

OK, April and Libby, this one's for you.

1. I have lived in 4 different states and moved 12 different times in my 6 years of marriage.

2. I love to make homemade cards and I profess to be a scrapbooker, just don't ask to see my scrapbooks. I only have a wedding one done and my 3 year old's scrapbook is done up to his 6 week mark. I've got some work to do.

3. I am obsessed with Full House re-runs, Cadbury Creme Eggs at Easter time and the music of Paula Abdul. I know, I know, she's a weirdo in real life. But her music is my favorite.

4. I'm a horrible cook. Even after 6 years of trying, I still manage to mess up/burn dinner regularly. My husband is a good sport.

5. I still bite my nails like crazy. The worst part about this bad habit: My 3 year old bites his nails, too. Good example, Mom! Unless it's just genetically inherited? Yeah, right.

6. I can burp really loud. Darren thinks it's so lady-like. But Joseph enjoys it. Again, good example, Mom!

Happy Halloween

Here's a look at the Jolley family Halloween festivities. Joseph really understood the trick-or-treating concept and he couldn't get enough of it. He was in love with his Nascar costume too. He was hilariously shy, though. We'd get up to a door step and he'd hide behind me and hold out his bag. We practiced saying "trick-or-treat all day but you couldn't coax it out of him at the door. Then as soon as the door closed, he was himself again, saying, "Let's go to another house!" Justin just looked adorable, as usual. We went to a ward Trunk-or-treat party too. You couldn't have asked for a better Halloween night, weather-wise. Which is quite a feat in Seattle.

Here's Joseph at our playgroup party with his buddies. Finally, here are our Jack-o-lanterns. We did some at my parent's house in Utah and one at home. For Joseph, carving pumpkins is a spectator sport. His comments: "I don't like guts on me."