Christmas Cards

I love Christmas.

I mean, even in the hardest times of my life... the ugliest times of my life, I have been able to find enough joy and happiness to really love this time of year.

I think it is so many things...

The lights, I love lights so much (I wish my back yard resembled that of Zeek and Camille's on Parenthood, if you know what I mean).
The music, not the cheesy Christmas music but the beautiful and meaningful music (although the cheesy music makes my kids laugh and sing).
The chill in the air, and by chill, I mean the Arizona chill not the Utah frostbite!
The mood, feeling and spirit that fills the malls, stores, churches, homes, temples, internet, neighborhoods, schools, social media, etc... I sound cliche but truly, there is a beautiful understanding and feeling that lingers.
I think it's the people and the sentiments and the traditions that make me happy.
And the LOVE and the understandings and the giving and getting.
I think there is something about the movie list on Netflix that has everything to do with funny ways and storylines of forgetting and then remembering the "meaning of Christmas".
My heart seems to be a little calmer and a little more connected with my brother and Savior, Jesus Christ.  I feel closer to Our Father and my family (even though they still make me crazy).

One thing that makes me so happy, happier than I think it may make most people, is receiving and sending Christmas Cards.

I have grown addicted to the feeling of checking my mailbox everyday in December and skipping back with a single card or a handful of cards.  I love everything about opening up the cards and seeing the family photos and reading the changes that my friends have gone through over the past year.  I love getting out the blue paint tape and finding just the perfect spot on my "Christmas Card Tree" for all the cards I've collected.  I just love it.  And, as many of you may have experienced, I have been known to threaten people (on occasion) for their cards!  Hey, I didn't say I was proud of all the ways I actually get the cards!! 

I'm not completely selfish because another favorite thing I love about December is MAKING and GIVING Christmas cards!  Our family has accidentally started such a fun tradition... we LOVE coming up with creative ways to make people smile, or even laugh, when they receive our Christmas card.

This may be on my top 5 favorite things about Christmas, and it just kinda... happened.  Maybe you can see why...

I never said it would be easy... 

I only said it would be worth it!!!  And oh it was so worth it!!! 

So, if you are wondering if you should send us a Christmas card, please do, I can't tell you how happy it makes me.  And I will send you one too, because that's what Christmas is about right?  Spreading joy, laughing hard, loving a lot and celebrating the birth of Our Savior.

Merry Christmas.  May you and yours have peace and joy always.

And for the record... our kids are wannabe posers!!!

Maybe one day they'll be as cool as us! 

The Testimony of Jack Jolley

Oh my heck… JACK JOLLEY is his own person!  This kid never does average… he can't!

So, yesterday was Fast Sunday for our ward because the Gilbert Temple Dedication is next Sunday (yes I am excited and no I can't wait).  So Jack decides that he wants to share his testimony for the first time at the podium in front of our LARGE ward.

To make sure he felt confident he went over his testimony with Jon.  Then he came over to me where he went over it again, just to make sure.  I listened, then I informed him that his zipper was down, after he fixed that minor problem he was ready…

Jack approached the stand.  There were a few people who had been sitting up in the front waiting for their turn but as soon as Jack heard the current speaker say "amen" he popped up skipping the line, that he was the END of, completely.  I'm sure the person who was next up in line was thinking… "okay? I guess YOU are next little boy".

Jack did great.  He basically said…

"I'd like to bear my testimony, I believe the church is true.
I believe temples are true because I went through 'it' twice and felt great."

Then, as confident as a professional speaker, Jack walked away.

BOOM

Take that everyone… that is MY testimony and I KILLED it.

Until… he realized he missed something.

Jack's confident walk turned into a shuffle.  He looked at me as he was passing the chair that our bishop was sitting in.  I knew what he was thinking so I mouthed "in the name…" that's all it took for this kid to SPIN around and re-approach the microphone.  Now, please visualize this with me, the man who was after Jack (who was actually before Jack but Jack cut in front of him) was also approaching the microphone AND, on top of that, the microphone was being automatically adjusted to the height of this man… so, it was moving up.  Jack quickly approached the mic and, as the mic was still moving upward, he shouted… "in the name of Jesus Christ Amen".

I have no more words.
I about died.
I am still trying to compose myself 24 hours later.

(this picture was of the moment I walked through the door after being at Remuda Ranch for 75 days)

Merry Christmas 2013

With Love,
     The Jolley's

Quotes to Remember…

I have compiled quotes from my kids over the last few years. Things they have said that made me laugh. Things that I NEVER want to forget. So, tonight, while putting off all the things I SHOULD be doing, I thought I'd create a post on the sweet and randomly hilarious things my kids say… wasn't there a T.V. show about this?

Jack Jolley

May 2011:
Jack: "dear heavenly father, we are thankful for this day, we are thankful for this food, please bless the food, please bless that we will have the spirit in our hearts, please bless grandpa Gary that he is having a good time in heaven, please bless that we will all have a good time in heaven..."

June 2011:
A lady in our ward sang "I Know My Heavenly Father Loves Me" in our sacrament meeting.  When she finished Jack looked up at me and asked me "mom, did she sing I Know My Heavenly Father Loves Me or did she sing I know all the husbands love me?"  Basically I had to get up and leave the meeting in order to compose myself.  I'm not sure I even answered him!!!  

September 2012:

Jack forgot to take the money to school for the Entertainment Book fundraiser.  When I pointed this out and mentioned that he needs to work on remembering and being more responsible he said "well mom, at least we still have God".  Yes we do Jack, yes we do!

Bella Jolley

September 2012:

A conversation with my kids today...

Me: "ok so dad and I are going on a date tonight, you guys better be

good for the babysitter"

Kids: "where are you guys going?"

Me: "the temple"

Bella: "are you going to the temple to get married?"

Me: "no! I'm already married"

Bella: "are you going to the temple to get me married?"

Me: "hahahahaha!!"

March 2013:

Bella, for the first time, jumping on a trampoline with bungie cords attached was so excited.  She exclaimed "mom, this is all I ever dreamed of.  I can't believe this is happening!!"

Brayden Jolley

May 2012:

Brayden counting his money and doing the math for his tithing and asking, "So mom, how much do I have to pay Jesus?"

May 2013:

Mom: "Brayden, how come you have been so sick lately?"

Brayden: "I think it's because Jesus is going to come soon. It says in the scriptures that there will be lots of sickness right before he comes."

Mom: "well, I'd better get my crap together then, huh?"

Brayden:  "pretty much, yeah."

July 2013:

Brayden watched one to many "Goosebumps" movies and was scared to be alone… so he offered this deal to Jack if Jack would stay with him…

Brayden tells Jack "if you stay in the bathroom with me, I will take away all your sins." I didn't know Brayden had that kind of power!!!

Me Against All Three

Summer 2013:

Driving in the car...

Me: "Brayden, can I use your blanket?"

Brayden: "But mom I'm cold so I'm using it."

Me: "Brayden, I'm so cold. You owe me you know...  I grew you in my tummy for 9 months and kept you warm and safe and happy. Now I need you to share your blanket with me... okay?"

Jack (from the backseat): "You won't be able to use that on Bella mom."

Me: "What Jack?"

Jack: "Aunt Sadie is the one that kept Bella warm in her tummy for 9 months so Bella doesn't have to share her blanket with you."

I laughed so hard that I got really hot and didn't need a blanket after that! Families come together all different ways! And I LOVE my little girl! 

I simply really love these kids.

Jack and the Principal are BFF's

This is an email I sent to Jack's teacher this morning, I think it captures what I wanted it to… 

Hey Mrs. Burgess,

So I had to share this funny experience we had at the Jolley home the other night.  My oldest son, Brayden, was complaining about math and asked me if he could be tutored in math after school.  I told him that I would look into it and see if I could schedule it the same time as Bella's tutoring... just then Jack chimed in and said, "yeah mom, I need tutoring too, I'm getting an S- in citizenship and I need to be tutored in that!".  I about died laughing and later, once I caught my breath, explained to him that citizenship focuses on doing what you are suppose to be doing, keeping the rules, not talking when your teacher is talking, and having a good attitude.  I told him we could "tutor" him at home but mostly, he has to control his impulses!  Anyway, I thought you may get a little kick out of that!

 TC Jolley

 The attitude just rolls off my Jack in this picture!

Oh the laughs I have everyday because of my kids.  I truly love this phase of life with them… they are at such great ages.  

I'm such a proud parent!!!

Early one morning, Brayden had already headed off to school and I was cleaning up after our breakfast mess when I heard...

Jack: "Hey mom, hey mom"

ME: "Yeah Jack"

Jack: "Hey mom, look at me... I'm a 'Jack in the box'"

Where does this kid come up with this stuff??!! I laughed my guts out!

This is rated PG-13... you've been warned!

I figured out a way to get myself out of my pajamas everyday before 3:00 pm... I go to sleep the night before in the clothes I plan on wearing the following day... wake up and wah-lah... I am dressed! I did it last night and this morning I felt much more on top of things... I'm serious, ask Jon!

It's also good to sleep in your clothes (or any clothes) for moments like this as well...

(My mom is going to KILL me!!!... but I guarantee she laughed!)

"We're Getting the Red Out"

Okay so if you missed it, my last blog was about the Cardinal's and how our family got in the spirit of things for the big game. You will notice that in a couple of pictures I have my boys hair colored red down the middle. On Wednesday there was still some red remaining in their hair and as I was getting some house things done I heard the bathroom water running in the boys bathroom. I went in to see what was going on and when I asked them what they were doing they responded "we're getting the red out mom". I thought that it was harmless, they had their water and their towels and were rubbing away at the red so I let it go. About 20 minutes later I heard them playing in their playroom so I went in the bathroom to see what the damage was. To my surprise it was still pretty clean, except for the globs of hair that were everywhere... then I noticed the scissors. I yelled for the boys to come in the bathroom and explain themselves and when they walked in I just burst into laughter. This is how they got the "red out"...

They CUT it out!
When I finally pulled myself together and asked them what they were doing they simply replies, "mom, we told you we were getting the red out"... and so they did!!!

My Team... the Cards!

I finally have a football team

I've never been committed to a football team before but I finally have my team...

GO CARDINALS!

And because I'm so competitive I've claimed that the Cardinals are my kids' team as well! I had to get the family all Cardinal-ed out and ready for the big game... even Jon dressed accordingly (even though he insisted on wearing his dolphin attire underneath).

Although they weren't able to bring home the Superbowl trophy, I'm still really proud of them, and did you see that game? It was unbelievable! Next year we'll be back... and hopefully we'll be playing the dolphins... that may just cause a divorce in the Jolley family!!