Wednesday, February 29, 2012

Love Month - Leap Year
















I didn't come up with anything really creative today for us to do to celebrate Leap Year but I thought about it all day at work.  I decided that since Abbi loves the kitchen, I would let her make us an afternoon snack.  She chose pink milk and vanilla pudding.

Noah wasn't quite sure how to take what was going on.  Abbi made him two cups of pink milk, so he was a pretty happy camper.  That is until Abbi and I had our backs turned and he started to make himself a third cup of pink milk.  There was Yoohoo powder all of the counter.  While I removed him from the equation for a minute, Abbi "cleaned up" the mess.  She wiped all the powder off of the counter into her hand and put it back in the yoohoo container.  Yup.  She solved that dilemma.

After she stirred and refrigerated the pudding, Abbi decided to add green food coloring because tomorrow is March.  To my astonishment, she didn't want any sprinkles!  I dished up our pudding while she made herself another cup of pink milk.  I was gobbling my green goop when Abbi muttered, "I don't like this."  She didn't dare taste it.  Once she did, she agreed she would eat maybe half of her pudding.

She totally enjoyed herself, which was the point, I guess.  In better news, she got on a kick being in charge of the kitchen" and cleaned up a few other things too.  I like Leap Day.

p.s. After the kids go to bed, I'm going to celebrate Leap Day by watching one of my favorite movies, Leap Year.  So cute!

and LOVE MONTH 2012 came to pass ....

 __________________________________________________

I've thought long and hard about how to make Leap Day a memorable one for the kids. I'm only going to see them for an hour and a half before they go for their weekly visit so it's gotta be something to fit in a short amount of time. In "leap days" Abbi and I will be the same age tomorrow, so I'm trying to use that for inspiration ... I'll post the details after our short Leap Day interlude this evening .....

Tuesday, February 28, 2012

Love Month - Angry Birds

Until recently, I have never understood the "Angry Bird" craze.  I tried to play it a couple times on my sisters iPhone, and I still didn't get it and not just because I had no idea how to play.  But, I will admit that I do love Angry Birds now.  The other day, I downloaded the Rio one too, because I got as many stars as I can on the original Angry Birds.

Let me tell you what really amuses me about the game ....

When I play it, I get angry.  It makes me so mad when the stupid pigs smile with their teeth and laugh when I don't kill them.  I HATE their laughing and smiles.

When a brick or something knocks over on a pig's head, sometimes it doesn't kill them.  I think if I proportionally buried a pig in bricks and logs, it wouldn't live.  But in this game, they do!  I hate the pigs!

In the Rio version I have to kill monkeys now.  I feel worse about killing them.  Why would a bird want to kill a monkey?

Maybe I'm missing something about the story of the game, or why pineapples and flowers are worth so many points.  Whatever the case may be, I appreciate the Angry Birds keeping me company.  I also loathe them ... and their pig (or monkey, respectively) companions.

Monday, February 27, 2012

Love Month - Monday

Dear Joey,


I'll tell you what I love about Monday.  I love being the first test of the week.  I love to test you with the alarm clock.  Will she hear it?  If she does, will she get up?  Will she ignore it?  Will she hope Jake gets up instead?  Then Abbi gets off to school and you face the same test again.  Are you getting back in bed?  Are you going to get ready to leave for work on time?  


Just a bit later, you arrive at work.  Late, of course.  The next tests come in quick succession.  One after another, faces come up to you with requests, demands, excuses, bad news, poor performance, or rotten attitudes.  Once in a while, a face walks by with a smile.  Good thing for the smile.  The test is how will you respond.  Will you remember that they haven't teamed up against you?  Will you remember that they are individuals and not a terrorist group?


How will you respond?


Q: Can you do this right now?
Q: Joey, can you do something for me right now?
Q: Joey, I need to talk to you.
Q: Joey, come to my office.
Q: Can I talk to you?
Q: This person didn't show up.
Q: I need this paperwork filled out.
Q: Do you know what happened while you were gone?
Q: I'm not supposed to have my phone at the registers?
Q: Who do I report you to?
Q: Move me back.
Q: I guess I'm not going to work today then.
Q: I'm going to throw my phone, I'm so mad.
Q: Can you correct this test right now?
Q: Did you do a break schedule yet?
Q: I'm going to be a couple hours late.

My favorite part about being Monday means I have special powers.  I can make all of those things happen before 10:30 a.m.  And all the while, you'll be worrying about them, plus whatever might be happening at home, or whatever Abbi might be doing at school, or other important people who have to deal with bad stuff today, plus think about how you can be better at housekeeping, and look at the candy bar in front of you while you remember that you and Jake were going to start eating healthy today.

I'm going to stick with you for about 12 more hours today but then you'll get a break until our next standing appointment.  Same time next week?  Does that work for you?

Best regards,

Monday

Dear MONDAY,

I don't hate your guts.  I know you're special and you like to be different than the other days.  I like you for the long morning I have before coming to work.  I like you because Abbi is so happy before school and prays about what a good day she is looking forward too.  I like you because I get to watch Noah play on my iPad in bed while I get ready for work.  I like you because, usually, there are leftover Sunday snacks that I pack in my purse for work.  I like you because it makes people around me smile when I growl.  I like you because I get to try every week to like you a little more.  You can terrorize all you want, but I'm going to enjoy you.  I have a cold Diet Coke and a Twix.  I have a few friendly people and happy faces.  I have plenty of work to keep me busy.  And best of all, I'm wearing my old J. Crew dress that hasn't faded, I have a new coin pearl necklace from Hawaii, I put on mascara today, and I even did my hair.  So, bring it on.  I already won.

Smell you later,

Joey

Sunday, February 26, 2012

All About Me - #8

Family
Three things you like about your mother - she loves me in her own way, she created great traditions for our family, she loves her grandchildren
Three things you like about your father -his generosity toward others with time and resources, his humor, his friendliness


A physical characteristic you inherited from your mother - blonde hair that turned brown
A physical characteristic you inherited from your father - my blue eyes


When you were a child, your parents spent - enough time with me
The most common issue you and your parent have argued about - me eating my dinner
Your most beautiful childhood memory of your parents -they did all kinds of fun things for us...FHE, fun adventures, family vacations, first & last day of school traditions, teaching us to serve, etc.... too many great memories to choose just one
Your most horrifying childhood memory of your parents - When I was very young, I was driving with them when all of the sudden we pulled over and my dad got out.  I just figured that was the end and he wasn't coming home because my friend's dad had just left them.  What really happened was my dad jumped onto the train we were next to because it was my grandpa's last time to drive the train.  He retired that day and my dad went with him.  I was glad to see my dad come home that night.

Do you think you said "I love you" enough to your mother? - No
Do you think you said "I love you" enough to your father? - No
Has your mother told you that she loves you enough? - Yes
Has your father told you that he loves you enough? - Yes


Your mother often said: "Home is where you hang your mom."
Your father often said: "One smart fellow, he felt smart...."


Whom do you resemble physically? - I'm a mutt.  I am a good mix of them both.


Something your parents did that you have never forgiven: Told me how stupid it was to think that rabbits carry eggs or deliver baskets.

What would it take for you to forgive them? - An Easter basket and an Easter dress

If you had to imagine your mother as an animal, she would be - a monkey
If you had to imagine your father as an animal, he would be - a rabbit


You and your siblings share in common - humor, and parents
A trait you do not share with your siblings - I have my own brand of bossiness


Your favorite relative is - there's no way and no reason to choose just one
Your least favorite relative is - there's no way and no reason to choose one


If you were not related to your family members, you would still choose these three as your friends - the goat leg uncles are pretty funny


If you had to imagine your siblings as animals, they would be: oxen, they would all be oxen


Something you wish for your mother - no job
Something you wish for your father - no job

Saturday, February 25, 2012

Love Month - FMC

Grandma's picture was voted "favorite" of this round.
Grandma picked her picture as favorite for her round.  Everyone screwed up guessing playground when obviously, this is a yard sale.

I took a load of pictures that turned out blurry.  I think my mom needs a new camera and the great room needs less lights.  FMC was so, so fun.  The pile of food grows every time we get together.  My favorites were the pretzel stick things and the cake batter rice crispy treats.

We went around the room to see what everyone does to keep themselves from getting the "Winter Blues."  There were lots of good ideas, but Grandma brought us an object lesson.  She makes loads of dish clothes and gives them away but she has never used the multi-colored yarn because she always has thought it was so ugly.  Just recently, she used some that was in the yarn box at the senior center, and learned that it made a beautiful pattern on her dish clothes.  She feels bad that she has always thought how ugly that spool would be.  Then, she told us about a woman she worked with.  Everyday, this woman would wear beautiful, fancy clothes to work.  Grandma sort of judged her never wearing the same outfit twice, and thought the woman must be kind of shallow.  Then, they were assigned to sit next to each other and Grandma said that woman turned out to be one of the nicest ladies she knows and that she regretted having negative thoughts about her.

After all of the "Winter Blues" ideas, we played a couple rounds of Telestrations.  Funnest game ever!  Our favorite round was when the Secret Service Man turned into a transvestite!  Hilarious!

I was so happy about how many FMC members were there.  We had so much fun and even though it's hard to get everyone together, it's worth it.  I really love each member of my family and FMC is a great way to have fun together without all the distractions of kids and other chaos.  We can make enough chaos by ourselves :)
___________________________________________
This evening is the bi-monthly (is that right?) Hansen FMC.  It's a secret club for members only.  Tonight's theme is Beat the Winter Blues.  I'm looking forward to a slide show of Anne and Wendy's trip to Hawaii.  I wonder what I'll share ... hmmmm ..... Check back for photos and commentary later!

Friday, February 24, 2012

Love Month - Jeremy

Today is my oldest brother's birthday. Yesterday, Noah and I took him out to lunch to celebrate. Noah loves to hang out with Jeremy because they both love sports and the both love tools. And as much as I hate it, the both love Jeremy's tattoo sleeve that has a big, mean shark. When we came home after lunch, Noah spent the afternoon talking on the phone through his toy socket wrench to Jeremy. He kept asking him, "What are you doing?" They were on and off the phone for an hour. One for my favorite things about Jeremy, is how much he loves his nieces and nephews. He really likes his friends kids too. Every 4th of July, he takes our cousin's son to buy a load of fireworks and then lets him even light a few. Jeremy is very good at making kids feel importants. He's always done that for me too. Just this morning, I was scanning a bunch of pictures from when I was young. There is one of Jeremy and I all dressed up (Jeremy was in a tux) and he gave me a little pot of flowers. I think that day I was feeling jealous that he was taking another girl out to the school dance. He's done a lot of things like that for me. He bought me Doc Martin combat boots to match his, he bought me Girbough clothes when that was the cool thing to wear, he would take me for 10centers, even after they turned into 11centers, an he'd give me rides in his Harley. Now that I grew up he still does nice things like when he would hang my Christmas lights, let me keep a honey-do list for him to do on my day off, run errands with me, hang my decorations at home,and now he even helps Jake when we need him. As a surprise he designed and created a leather owl purse for me for Christmas. He is so talented with design and leather. Look him up on www.etsy.com under jwhansen to see what he makes. Happy birthday, Jeremy!

Thursday, February 23, 2012

Love Month - bed

I have always been quite a fan of my bed. I bought it for myself in 2004 but only got to use it a little bit because I left it home when I moved to Logan to finish school. It's the perfect size and height. Because I have to climb up onto it, it feels like an island of relaxation. Jake works every night until 3 in the morning, so I still get to sprawl out and use one million pillows. When I got Jake, I also got the two pillows from his old bed. He uses the one that's it so squishy and he gave me the nice squishy one. My great-aunt LaRue gave us the best sheets as a doing gift. I've never had such good sheets before. They're so very soft. When Jake comes home during the night he covers my head with the blankets while the lights or tv is on. That's my favorite part of the night because I get to burrow down in like I'm hibernating. I know people wish for more time in the day but if that wish ever comes true, I'm going to add it to my bed time, for sure.

Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Love Month - Barbara (aka: Amy)

Little Miss Mylie in her Valentine's outfit.  She is in LOVE with her Dorothy shoes and her pets!
Look at those amazing cookies!  They were pretty good.  Mylie helped me put the hearts on top after they came out of the oven.  She really likes to help, even when sometimes it isn't helpful.  She tries.
Heart-shaped pizza from Papa Murphy's.  The teachers that I work with and I have a tradition of getting a heart-shaped pizza for Valentine's.  I think it might be one of the best traditions EVER!  Everyone should try it, at least once.

 I love lots of things-my family and sweet daughter, cookie dough, the smell of rain, creating stuff that I see on Pinterest.  I love that my daughter calls Valentines Day Balentines Day.  Ha ha!  But most of all, I LOVE mommy moments that make my heart smile.  
Yesterday was Valentines Day.  It has somehow become my daughter’s holiday.  She seriously started asking me how long until Valentines Day back in April.  So, as it approached, I tried to think of some fun for us. 
I picked Mylie from school a little early and brought her back to my work, where we ate heart shaped pizza (YUM!) and peanut butter cookies I made (Double YUM!).  We decorated her Valentines for her friends at daycare and I gave her the little gift I had for her, a squeeze-it and Hershey’s kisses (‘a squeeze and a kiss’--thank you Pinterest!) Then, I took her to daycare so I could finish work.  There, she decorated Valentines for me and her dad.  Then, her dad picked her up and gave her a balloon, flowers, a Tweety cupcake, and some candy.  Later, Mylie and I took a plate of the cookies I made over to my friend and visited with her for about an hour.  Pretty good day for a three year old huh?
At the end of the day, I wanted to make sure she had a great day, since it is her favorite and all. The conversation went like this:
Me: “What was your favorite part of Valentine’s today?”
Mylie: “When we took the cookies to that Mom.”
Me: “Really, why was that your favorite?”  (I was in complete shock because she tugged on my arm for what felt like 20 minutes because she wanted to go.)
Mylie: “Because it made me feel so good.”
And, viola, my heart smiled.  And that was the only Valentines gift that I needed, or would ever need.  I don’t know how I got so lucky to have such a sweet, thoughtful little girl.  I LOVE that girl and all the AMAZING things she teaches me day after day!
Thank you Pinterest for the idea! That's where I get all my good ideas these days. I love Pinterest. 

Tuesday, February 21, 2012

Love Month - My dad

I sorta like to be with your mother, pretty much. Sometimes, I don't mind having family visitors over at the house if they don't stay too long or come too often. I like to see my kids interact with each other as adults because it makes me feel good. I can't say I like the meat my boys are into cooking. I love a good shrimp dinner and a good halibut dinner and a good old cheeseburger once in a while. I like to go to Jefferson with your mother, that's the best kind of church to go to. I like to read my daughters' writings, blogs, and statements and Cody's comments too. I like to read the Church doctrine, the gospel, and the scriptures. And, I like to play my piano.

Monday, February 20, 2012

Love Month - Anonymous :)

Love is hard to put a handle on. It is applied to everything from
movies to frozen yogurt and it gets confused with a lot of other
emotions.  Love for people is something different altogether; it is a deep caring for someone and that caring will not end no matter time distance or circumstance. It is separate from passion or lust. It has everything to do with wanting to help and strengthen someone, to comfort them and to be around them.

Sunday, February 19, 2012

All About Me - #7

Opinions

What is your opinion of:
the right to have an aboriton - con
the right to own guns - pro
the welfare system - con the way it's run now
the death penalty - pro
rights and services for illegal immigration - con
legalization of drugs - con
equal rights for homosexuals - con
the practice of premarital sex - con
Which issue concerns you the most? - the deterioration of marriage and family
 On behalf of this issue, you have - donated time & money
The first step toward resolving poverty - improving education and reducing entitlement to welfare services
The first step toward resolving racism - following the example of Christ
The environmental issue that concerns you the most -  fuel
Do you believe a person is defined by what he or she does for a living? - No
Why? - It's like C.S. Lewis said, "We are not human beings having a spiritual experience, we are spiritual beings having a human experience."
Politically, you define yourself as - conservative
The worst crime against humanity - violence toward any other
The worst political crime - Remaining in office after the first thought or act of doing something to accomplish your own purpose or goal
The minimum punishment for those who molest children should be - the maximum legal sentence
The minimum punishment for those who rape should be - the maximum legal sentence
Your opinion of the military - should be maintained, run, and supervised with the highest ethical standards
Your opinion of the draft - I wasn't around then
You would fight in a war if - I don't think I would

Saturday, February 18, 2012

Love Month - Katy Garner

chickfil-a
basketball
Family
Babies
Football

Friday, February 17, 2012

Love Month - Jack

Pretzels. I love some new toys from Christmas. I love Mom and Dad. I love to play toys. I love to go to school. My teacher's name is Teacher Julie. My other teacher teaches me books. My brother and sister. I love toys from the store.  I like Toy Story and Buzz Lightyear. I likes candy. I like the dark and zombies.

Happy #4 Little Jack Jack!!!

Thursday, February 16, 2012

Love Month - James

I love video games. I love the Playstation, the Wii, and I love the Giants. I love the Raptors for baseball. I love the Jazz for basketball. I love my toys. I like to eat food. I like the whole world. I like Grandpa's trains.

Wednesday, February 15, 2012

Love Month - Marlie

I love my 3DS. I love my friends. I love my family. I love ramem noodles. I love ice cream too. Moreover I love love love to play my piano. I love animals too. I love love my Webkins catapiller. I love the Super Bowl poster I made. I love plants because catapiller can eat them. And I love birds. I love ranch. I love my bed. I love to go trick or treating on Halloween. I love to give and receive presents. I love to play on the computer. I love chocolate chip cookies and catapiller likes them too. I love school. I love lunch. I love to chose my own clothes. I love to go shopping with my mom. I love to go fishing. I love fish. And I love poodles. I love Shells and Cheese. I love my house. I love my toys and what I have. I love Mariocart. I love to play the Wii and video games. I love the world. I love love love love to play.

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Love Month - Valentine's Day

This would have been a good post for me to learn how people do slideshows or collages of pictures on their blog posts.  But, learning is hard for me so we're gonna have to deal with scrolling through all of these crazy pictures.  Furthermore, as I have recently commandeered Jake's computer, I don't know how to fix red eye anymore so we're also going to have to deal with alien children this round.

 Abbi and Noah enjoying macaroni and cheese hamburger helper.  I don't know why they like it.




 Mr. Cupid, who obviously despises Valentine's Day, came into our house and stole all of our party treats and Valentine's while we were waiting for the cousins to come over.  We went on a hunt for more heart-shaped hints.
 I thought of this about 10 minutes before the party was supposed to start.  Apparently, my skills don't improve whether or not I have time to spend on a project so the kids didn't know how quickly I threw this all together.  Besides, I obviously wasn't involved because I had an alibi.  The kids loved the mystery and went wild, literally, quite wild.

 Grandma and Grandpa were no help to the children.  They too, were quite surprised with our party predicament.





 When we found a clue upstairs in Noah's room, we heard the front door SLAM and Grandma started yelling about a fast little diaper wearing thing that ran in and left all our treats back on the kitchen table.  We ran down to see if we could catch Mr. Cupid.

 We didn't catch him.  And Grandma and Grandpa didn't give us a very good description or direction to go after him.  Luckily, this did free Toby the Cat from all of the insinuations and accusations that he was actually our culprit.  Marlie thought that Toby was so guilty he may even begin to speak to us this very night.  I would have liked that.


 We partied hardy, ate the giant M&M cookies, ice cream, other treats, exchanged Valentine's and played and played.  Like I said, the children were, quite literally, wild.  Uncle Cody didn't help keep the place calm as he was teaching Ju Jit Su moves step-by-step to whatever child stopped to listen, or even watch the YouTube how-to videos.

What a fun night!  Abbi and Noah were so glad to have their cousins over to help them solve our mystery.  I understand that Valentine's Day is for people in love, but I LOVED this Valentine's Day more than any other.  It would have been over the top if Jake had been at home instead of at work tonight.  He did bring me roses at our 30-second exchange of vehicles and children.  And....he ordered me a Vintage Pearl necklace.  I can't wait to see it!!!

Happy Valentine's Day!!!

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Post and pictures are coming.....we're looking forward to our little party at home tonight!!  I wish I could see Abbi's face this morning.  I put up a bunch of decorations and tied Valentine balloons to all the kitchen chairs after the kids went to sleep last night.

Monday, February 13, 2012

Love Month - Engagement Anniversary

WARNING: MUSHY, GUSHY STORY, but I never wrote it down before.  Welcome to the debut of our engagement story.

Never in my life have I had a desire to stay up late.  I enjoy, appreciate, love, desire, want, and need a lot of sleep.  That hobby (the sleep) used to be accompanied by early mornings.  I literally enjoyed the "early to bed, early to rise..." stuff.  A couple years ago I learned to sleep in.... until about 9 a.m. 

Last year at this time, Jake and I were burning candles at both ends. I would be awake late, late into the night because I didn't want to go home, or for him to go home, or to hang up the phone.  My brain kind of twisted around and said that I'd rather get little to no sleep than not be with Jake.

(As a side note, just now, while I was typing this....my brain said, "Who is Jake?  This isn't real."  I'm still getting used to the idea that Jake is real, and we're married, and I get to have him forever.)

Back on track now.....  Anyway, I loved the weekends while Jake and I were dating because that was the most time we could spend together.  Because of the distance between us, and the children who actually have to sleep, we would hardly ever see each other mid-week.  I couldn't wait for work to get over on Saturdays!

Last year, February 13th was a Sunday.  I had arrived at Jake's early that morning to go to church with him and the kids.  After the kids had gone to bed, Jake and I were watching a movie on the couch, or the kissing couch as my mom would call it.  The winter makes Jake's hands so dry but he feels like lotion is not really for manly men.  He would rather rub greasy lip chap all over his knuckles.  He says it sticks better.  Better than lotion?  Right, right.  Everyone but Jake knows lip chap does not beat the effectiveness of Aveda Lotion.  Back to the story...

Although he complained, I rubbed my very special Aveda Hand Lotion on Jake's sand paper knuckles.  He left the room for a minute and when he came back he said he wanted to put lotion on my hands too.  So while I watched the movie, or slept, Jake rubbed the lotion on my hands and I felt a little ring slip on my finger.  I didn't rush to look because he messes with my heart ring all the time, but then he asked, "Do you like it?"

I did like it.  Jake gave me a beautiful blingy diamond band, just like I had wanted.  He picked it out all on his own.  I'm so glad that he asked me to marry him that night.  He had a more elaborate way to propose but he said relaxing together seemed more our style.  And it is.  More than any date we could go on, I love ending up watching a movie together, dozing in what I like the call the "sleeper hold."  It's the perfect way to lay by each other with my head on his shoulder.  I fall asleep in 60 seconds while he watches the show by himself.  Perfect.

Much later that night, I drug myself to the car and drove home.  So, so tired.  So, so happy.

Sunday, February 12, 2012

All About Me - #6

God and the World
Do you believe in God? - Yes
Describe God - I am His child.  He loves me and I love Him.
What religion were you raised with? - The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints
Do you practice this religion? - Yes
Your most spiritual moment - I've had many over the course of my life, it doesn't just have to happen once
The last time you were in a house of worship - last week, or today really
Death is - not the end
How you picture the end of the world - There is no end, but there is a plan
God has spoken to you - Yes
What did God tell you? - what I needed to hear
Do you feel that most wars are started because of religious conflict? - not necessarily
Does life exist on other planets? - Probably
Have they made contact with us? - I don't think so
Do you believe we are descendants of Adam and Eve? - Yes
Do you believe in evolution? - No
Do you believe in astrology? - Not in the way it is used now
Do you read your horoscope? - Not anymore
Have you ever been treated by a psychotherapist? - Yes
Why? - Anxiety
Do you believe in reincarnation? - No

Saturday, February 11, 2012

Love Month - My Mom

Little boys and girls. Big boys and girls. Her own private ox, my dad. Chocolate, Ghirdadelli dark chocolate sea salt. The feel, smell, and leather of her copy of the Book of Mormon. Her calling at the Jefferson Ward. Home. Potatoes in any form. Ice cream. Her great-grandma, Martha Jane, whose picture hangs in the guest room. The temple.  And she really loves her back splash.

Friday, February 10, 2012

Love Month - Jonesie

This is Jonesie.  I met her in 2002, I think.  She is one of Wendy's best friends.  I believe that Jones is actually one of the funniest people I've met.  She has my favorite kind of comedic timing and funniness.  I hold her on an imaginary funny pedestal.

Here's the good part.... Jones is also a supermom, a superwife, and a superfriend.  After I got engaged, she sent me this email:

Hi Joey,

I know that I got the cut when you cleaned out your friends on FB but I just wanted to give you my best wishes for Friday. You are going to be the most beautiful bride and Jake is a very lucky gentleman. I am sooo soo thrilled for you. I wish you every happiness in your marriage.

Love you lots,

Jonesie 

Then, just a little time passed and then I got this:

Hi Joey,

It's just me, sending you a message even though we're not FB friends . I was telling Wendy the other day how much I love your pins on Pinterest and how much I love reading your blog. You are the cutest mom ever Joey. I want to be like you when I grow up. I love how you are reading the Friend with your cute daughter and how good you are with both kids. I love your Pins!! They are so helpful for me. I just wanted to tell you and not just your sister how awesome I think you are.

Love,

Jonesie 

 The great thing about Jones, is how she felt like she should send me a message (even though she fell victim to my Facebook friend clean out), and so she did.  The emails she sent me came on the perfect day and time.  I'm going to try to be more like her and follow through on the things I think I should do for others because she unknowingly helped me on days that I need it most.

Yeah for Jones!!!