Happy Birthday Max!!!!!

Max Turned 2 yesterday and he had quite an eventful day. We started out the day by giving him his new Columbia Jacket that I got on sale for a steal so that we could take him out to breakfast and then out on the four-wheelers. The first Collage is of Paul and Max getting ready for the day and then at breakfast. Max definitely has hit the terrible two stage which for him is any other child's normal behavior. I have been blessed with such an amazing kid and I am loving every minute of him!!

We took the 4 Wheelers out to this really fun trail that goes up into what we call trees here in the desert and where it would be a little cooler but about 15 or 20 minutes into the ride Max fell dead asleep, so we turned around and came home. I am pretty sure he had fun while he was awake though. When we got home Paul and Max watched "Cars" while I cleaned up and made Max's cake.

Then my Mom and Dad came over and we made home made pizza and ate dinner and cake. Excuse my attempt at a "Cars"/"Lightning McQueen"  cake the frosting was a little warm and kept sliding and I may have used a bit too much frosting but oh well!!!

 

Me and my 2 year old little man on his birthday, playing with the camera!!!

Max with his Grandma & Grandpa Graham. We wished both sets of grandparents could be there but we are lucky to have at least one set close. They adore max and he can't get enough of them. I will be extremely sad when they move away from us or we them. Like I said before as you can tell from a couple of these pictures Max had a rough day despite all the fun happenings and definitely acted like he was a 2 year old during some points of the day. After we ate Max took a quick bath and it was PRESENT TIME!!!!

Max made out like a bandit he got "Cars" gear from his Grandma and Grampy Jones (if you haven't figured it out by now Max is obsessed with the movie and any thing else "Cars" related) and he got the "Cars" dvd , a race track, and a fisher price fire station from Grandma & Grandpa Graham that they got a killer deal on. Then from Paul and I he got a Tonka fire truck and a puzzle and a sit and spin which he can't figure out. But I loved that toy when I was little and I am sure once he gets the hang of it he will be spinning himself sick in no time. On a side note the puzzle we got him had a few animals in it one of which was a monkey, and Max said the word "monkey" perfectly clear when Paul asked him to. He is finally starting to attempt words I am thrilled. We head to the speech therapist again next week, I pray he won't have to have surgery to fix his speech and it can be fixed using only speech therapy.  

And Finally the day was over. As you can tell from the bottom two left pictures it was definitely time to get some sleep. But his birthday was a success and he is now officially not my baby boy anymore. Paul and I are so grateful for the happiness and joy he brings into our home and we love him so much and hope we are doing a good job! Happy Birthday Max we love you and look forward to many many more birthdays with you and your amazing personality and cute/adorable smile, voice, and face.

Summer Lovin'

Here are a few too many pictures of our summer so far. We have had a great summer and are ready for the fall which is my favorite season. We are extremely busy for the next few months and I will try to get a post or two in on my not so busy days but don't plan on it, and then when I do put a post up, you will be so surprised and excited. So in the words of my amazing hubby right after we got married and had our first fight...." Honey just don't have any expectations and you will never be angry or disappointed in me :)!!!"

We visit daddy at work often, it is one of Max's favorite places to go!!!
This is a new face Paul taught Max, he has named it ..."The Stink Eye"!

And the Dr. visits begin again and won't stop for a few months, oh how I despise the 1-2 day trips to phoenix, only to spend every waking minute either in a hospital, Dr. office, waiting room, or driving to and from one of those places.

We went to Phoenix for yet another Dr. appt. but took some time to enjoy our family and went to the children's museum. Max absolutely adores his cousin Brooklyn and lights up whenever you say her name or he sees her, or a picture of her. I am so grateful for family!!!

The Stink Eye again!!! he was making pizza with dad and I asked him to say cheese for the picture and this is what I got. How do you not just fall in love with this boy every time you look at this face. It is impossible not to on most days.

They had this huge tree house you could climb up in all different ways Paul loved it as much, if not more than the little ones did.

LAKE TIME!!! Max adores the water he can't get enough of it. He is a natural and is definitely in his element when swimming. He is my little fish and is amazing for just learning how to swim. He can already swim better then most 4 year old I know!!!

He also loves the dirt... but what little boy doesn't!!!

You will have to excuse his hair. Paul has gotten it in his head that he wants to dress Max as Joe Dirt for Halloween, so he wants to grow his hair out into a mullet to make the costume complete. I am not sure exactly why I am going along with this experiment but I think it has something to do with the fact that Paul doesn't ask for much and I secretly want to see my little man as a redneck Joe Dirt in a wife beater and cut off jeans, with a mustard stain on his shirt and combat boots pulling a red wagon to put his Halloween candy in :)!!! you have to let your kids entertain you somehow right!!!

We went to St. George and got to spend some time with an old friend of mine and her daughter Oakleigh, who is only a month older than Max!!! Max needed to apologize for doing something mean to Oakleigh and he apologized by giving her a kiss. Mandi and I thought it was too cute so we may or may not have encouraged them to kiss a few more times for pictures sake. Hey don't judge me it was adorable and made for a great picture and now max has that awkward first kiss thing out of the way for when he is 25 and decides he wants to kiss another girl!!!

He is such a daredevil with no fear... haven't decided if it is a good thing or bad. I think a little of both. There were a few other kids there that day at this pool, two of which were a 4 and 6 and not one other kid but Max would jump off that little ledge. I think I have my hands full!!!

He has discovered it is fun to try to walk in high heels. He makes me laugh and giggle daily, I love this boy!!!

4Th of July celebration at the city park with dad!!!! There was horses and food and Max got sprayed by dad in the fire truck!!!

My Studly hubby being so careful with the American flag. There is something about a man in a firefighter uniform holding an American flag!!! Wouldn't you agree?

I love watching my husband in action. He is so respectful and careful and loves his job and our country!!!

Earlier this Summer we added a new member to my side of the family, Alexis Jane Smith became Max's cousin officially on June 16th 2010 and we are all so excited to have her. With no chance of her ever being taken away she is in for a wonderful life and couldn't ask for better parents. Jaimee and Jon will give her such an amazing life she would not have had other wise and she will have such fun cousins to play with forever and ever. This is Max at the court house the day her adoption was official. I hope we soon have another day just like this with baby Tanner!!! We love our cousins!!!

TA DA!!!! Max and dad often play with the camera and take many many many pictures of themselves. and every once in a while there is one that is so cute and turns out well enough to grant it some blog space!!!

So that is our summer so far there is a lot more I could post but that is the gist of how our summer has been so far. So in the words of? " IT'S FALL Y'ALL" I am so excited for the leaves to change and for the best season of the year to begin, cool crisp air, chili and soup, corn bread, hot cocoa, apple cider, pumpkins, fall home decor and my most favorite thing in the whole world it is fall fashion time. I just adore shopping for clothes in the fall season they have the cutest stuff!!!

4 Wheelers + Cloudy Day = A Blast

This is the first of hopefully many posts over the next few days catching up on our summer events. Sorry it has taken so long but we will start off with the very beginning of summer and work our way to recent events. My parents bought some four wheelers in the spring and they have been so much fun to play with. We took Max out for his first actual ride in the desert and he loved it and was so good. Isn't the scenery beautiful and the day was so nice with it being overcast and cool.

Here is Paul making a jump on these dunes we found out in the middle of no where.
Overlooking Lees Ferry!! Isn't my Hubby a hottie?

Max is really in his element when he is on the four-wheelers he thinks he is super cool!!!

I just love this picture of my daddy!!! It is such a great picture that depicts his personality so well it will always be one of my favorites i think!!!

Max adores his Grandpa!!!Last but not least here is my dad making the same jump Paul did not quite as much air but i am very proud of him for attempting it and succeeding!!

What is Wrong With Your Son?

I found this while surfing different blogs and it touched me and brought tears to my eyes, because it hits close to home. I went back to the blog of the girl who wrote it and can no longer find it but I need to give her credit so click on the title of this post to see her blog, she is so fabulous with her words I wish I could use my words as well as she does. Anyway I just loved this story and it was an amazing read for me and I wanted to share it with you all, it is entitled....

What's Wrong with your son?

The question pierced me this morning. Tears fell as I walked away. Sadness filled my heart.

Yet, I came away from the situation renewed and comforted by an understanding bigger than my sadness. I came away knowing that there WAS something wrong with my son.

We waited for the bus(es) to come in the rain. My son's bus comes at 8:11am and my daughter's at 8:13am. His bus takes him to his preschool within another elementary while my daughter attends the elementary school within our boundaries.

The timing of each bus schedule is perfect for us. As soon as I buckle him into his seat and wave goodbye, my daughter's bus turns around the corner to pick the other children up.

However, the moment he began riding the bus to his school it confused a lot of the children since his comes at relatively the same time. Eventually all the children and parents realized that the first bus was just for him.

This morning was the usual. We saw his bus come around the corner and the other children remained playing with the knowledge that it wasn't their turn yet. My son and I said hello to the bus driver and his classmate, buckled the seat belt and gave kisses before I walked back down the steps and out the door. My daughter and I waved through the window while he smiled back, and then she asked if I would stay until her bus arrived a minute later.

As hers was being loaded I chatted lightly with a grandfather about the nasty weather today compared to yesterday's full sunny bloom. He was the epitome of a "mountain man". Gruff on the outside, but you could see he was gentle and kind. He suddenly stepped a little closer and with a slight whisper asked, "I have been meaning to ask.. what is wrong with your son?"

Knowing what kind of man he was I immediately responded without sharpness and said, "oh nothing! He has a speech delay so he attends another school that caters to that." I knew his word of "wrong" simply meant "different." I was casual. I was cool. There was no reason to be offended because offense was not offered to me from him. Just simple curiosity. Unfounded of course, because the only thing different about my son in my eyes is that he attends another school.

We smiled and said our goodbyes and I ran to my car while the sky cried large drops. I closed my door and sat behind my steering wheel.

I couldn't turn on the ignition. The reality of what he said and what I said began caving in on me. I was wounded. My defenses were down. He was right. Unknowingly and unobtrusively right.

I remembered how my son has apraxia. I remembered how my son goes to a classroom only with other children who have delays. I remembered how we have to work with him every day to pronounce syllables correctly and to curb his frustration and to not hit. I remembered that just last month he bit his toes and fingers so badly they bled and he continued to do so regardless. I remembered that he's not like your child.

I had forgotten because what we deal with is the norm for our family. Each stage in his life is all we have ever known for him, and we embrace each and every growth. He's preparing to attend kindergarten in a year. He's preparing to be like everyone else, but he is not. We are hopeful, but right now he is not.

I explained to my MIL through my tears what had transpired. She was nonchalant as well. "But he seems just fine. You would never even think something was wrong," she said.

I know that. He is fine. And we are fine because it is what we know, but we are different. He rides a different bus. He attends a different school. Embracing that difference is what matters most and I know that now.

It was good to be reminded.

I am proud to say that there is something different about my son. Not wrong, but his battle at this point in life is truly and innately his own. Different from anyone else.


I remembered. And I am oh-so-grateful for that.

Weight loss update

Here is an update on my weight loss journey and i promise to post pictures of recent events soon, sorry i have been slacking. From now on i will occasionally just put up this tracker to show my weight loss so here it is!!!

Created by MyFitnessPal - Free Weight Loss Tools

....And Time Stood Still

So I have not had a computer lately because my hard drive crashed and I have to buy a new one. I know that sucks huh? Anyway so I am borrowing my dad's computer right now so there will be no pictures in this post.

Last night was the 4th of July, Paul decided to go into work to get overtime and holiday pay which is so nice but I was worried that Max and I would not get to watch the fireworks with him, but he assured me we would all get to watch the fireworks together. So Max and I headed to the golf course to hang out with Paul and the rest of the fire crew (i was not excited about having to watch fireworks with the crude smelly fireman Paul has to work with). Somehow Paul pulled some strings and got a golf cart all to himself and was able to be the fireman to cover the area right where they were shooting off the fireworks (well we were to the right a little and maybe 100 yard away but close enough).

Anyway so Paul, Max and myself had one of those moments in life last night where "Time stood still" they are very rare and don't happen often but when they do "WOW". This was easily one of the top 10 best nights of my life. It really did seem as though the whole world stopped for those 25 minutes or so and nothing else seemed to matter. All my problems were insignificant and all of my worries were gone. Me and my little family laid on the grass of the golf course watching a beautiful display of fireworks, snuggled up against eachother, and just living in the moment. It was truly like a movie Paul was laying on his back, me with my head on his shoulder and Max in between us laying completely still and mesmerized, and every once in a while Paul and I would steal a little kiss from eachother because that is just what you do in a moment as perfect as that and you are completely in love with your husband. I don't know if this experience was the same for Paul and Max as it was for myself but for me it was life changing. I realized I am too high strung and I want to have those moments more often, and not be so stressed out that when the opportunity to have one of those moments presents itself I am able to grab it and run with it, and enjoy every last second of it. It was so calming and peaceful and wonderful and just what I needed. I slept better then I have in a long time last night and have a new outlook on life this morning! Who knew the 4th of July could bring such revelation huh! Just the simple act of being with your family under a lit up sky, and having time stand still for the first time in years, and being at such peace wishing the moment would never pass can give you a whole new determination and resolution of who you want to be, and what you want to become in life. And last night I found a new determination to have more peace and love and patience and hope and determination and less of everything negative that has taken over my life in the last little while!! Anyway here is to the 4th of July and a new Lindsey Jones!!!!!!!!!!!

So let's begin with an introduction HI my name is Lindsey Jones and from now on those of you close to me will be experiencing a new and improved version of myself!!!

SERIOUSLY.............................

HEAVENLY!!!!!!!!!!!

So my sister Jaimee turned me onto this site called picky palate for this recipe click HERE it is fabulous. This lady knows how to cook, Especially desserts!!!!!! So every once in a while Jaimee will call me and say she saw this dessert on picky palate that looks so good i have to try it. So not very often do i actually go buy the stuff and make the dessert, but she told me about a dessert the other, day not the one pictured above but another one that looks tasty, and i went to look at it and saw these yummy looking "Chocolate Peanut Butter Brownie Bites" Do they not look sinful? So i made them today for a get together tonight and they are as delicious as they look and sound, and so simple to make!!! They are good enough to put on my blog because i believe every wife and mother shoul enjoy them because they are that good!!! Enjoy!!!!

My Handsome Little Man

Here are just a few shots i have taken lately of my handsome little guy!! He is turning into such a boy not a baby anymore. It makes me sad but i love this stage too!! he loves to wear things on his head.
The next pictures are pretty much all the same but just different faces of Max. He has this cute new outfit and he wore it to church on sunday, i thought it was so handsome on him and adorable so we had ourselves a little photo shoot in grandma and grandpa's back yard! Don't you just love that face, and those big blue eyes!!

He was showing my his muscles!!! i love his face when he tries so hard to get those muscles bulging. sadly with a dad as skinny as paul i don't know that his muscles will ever bulge!!!

Make a Funny Face!!!

This is one of my favorites!!!

UH-OH!!!

He has started this new thing where he sticks his tongue out at you all the time. it is adorable!!!