A few updates really quick. Haven't blogged for a really long time. Busy, yes. Crazy, maybe. Stressed for sure (see July). Have been enjoying the summer. I am one of the few moms who likes summer with her kids. Many moms dread it. I love it. Have done a lot of low or no cost things in our city and taken a few inexpensive day trips.

April - Jayden's baptism with her friend Sydney (she posted below)

May - Day trip to Galena to meet my old college friend

June - Gymnastic meet, V visit to Des Moines (our fav)

July - Fireworks, Fun at Boeck's cabin, K's 4 day hospital stay-Ia City visits-plan for surgery
Kids V visit to Des Moines during stress (thanks P)

August - Nauvoo

Fun in Nauvoo

The girls at the temple

All the kids together

Cowboy Christian - I LOVE this picture.

Peaceful view


This picture is so sweet. What a great big bro explaining all the features of the temple to Christian. Christian even kissed the actual temple. Can a 1 yr old already know the importance?

Post from Jayden Jolley

This was me at the park in galena on the spinning thing

Now this is me and my family at my baptism.

me and my dad at my baptisom

This was my project last week. I recovered these chairs. I had always wanted to do this because they were so gross and stained when we inherited them from my dad but didn't know how. I got sick enough of them that I just decided to try. I found fabric that I loved and then put vinyl over that to prevent more stains from my kidlets. And this is how it turned out. I love them and even Jer got in on it. And thanks Patty for suddenly helping - I know how much you wanted to do it! Not bad, huh?

I don't know about any of you but at this house sometimes we have a crappy "tooth fairy"!! She seems to put money in different spots - never the same so the kids can't find it. And have you ever heard of this one - sometimes she forgets!! How terrible is that? Now it has only happened a time or two and she manages to find that money somehow and point it out to the kids. They say I already looked there but somehow it magically reappears. But not tonight! This tooth fairy is gettin' it!

So here it is....my long awaited piano. It may be 100 years old and not the prettiest (but I think it is) but it is MINE! Finally! Most of you have heard the story but I want to record it for later years. A woman had a piano but couldn't quite part with it because it was sentimental to her. She had received it for her 12th birthday. It wasn't getting used anymore. So my piano teacher told her about me. She was a little leary at first but when she was told our name she began to cry. Come to find out she knows my husband's family pretty well and had taught many of the boys in grade school and remembered what a nice family they were. Then she knew she could part with it. Gee, hopefully we are as great as she hopes. I know I will use it all the time.

I have been practicing a song for Jay's baptism. Hopefully I can get it. I likened my practicing to Jay getting baptized. As many times as I practice, mess up, and restart - it is the same as life. We can always do better, try harder, and start over. She sees me practice every day and knows how much work I put into it. I told here this is how we have to live our lives every day with our families and the gospel. Not many times is she truly quiet but during that lesson she was. I don't think she will ever forget that one.

Christian's "ballball" game

16 months

Fun with my new camera

New addition to the family

Meet the newest addition to our family. In addition to our 3 hermit crabs we now have a new frog. Jared bought this frog and when I asked him on the way home what he was going to name it he said "Bubbie" without hesitation. I asked why and he said just look at him mom. So there I sit looking at this little skinny frog jumping all over the bag trying to get out any way he can. Hmmm, does this remind us at all of our Bubbie? Very funny Jared! I love your sense of humor kid. Thanks for all the laughs you give me.

Another fun (and busy) weekend

Mississippi River Boat Museum

We needed something fun to do for Spring Break and it always seems to go way too fast. Thank goodness to nice weather this year at least. It ended up being a Jolley affair (minus C & L who were doing their own family vacation) as we all went to Dubuque for a fun day at the museum. 12 kids and 4 adults. Whew! At nap time we drove past Galena to the look out tower which ended up being closed. Bummer but good enough to get the younger ones asleep and a little nap. A quick stop at the fudge factory and then home for the day.

And the funny of the day I will never forget...

everyone who knows me knows I can be a little forgetful at times but this time I wasn't. We stopped at a gas station and Jared was out of the van for a moment and I decided to take off. I knew I wasn't forgetting him but he didn't realize that at first. The look on his face in the rearview mirror was priceless as his arms were flailing and he was running and shouting with his mouth wide open. We had such a good laugh that he fell out of the van trying to get back in and I couldn't even drive for a while it was so funny.

Ahhh memories.

Dates with Mom

Friday night was date night with the boys and Saturday was date day with the girls. I try to give each of my kids so much of my time instead of money or things so this weekend was fun stuff. Friday night I took my boys to the Sports Show at the UNI dome. It has been our yearly family tradition since Jared was a baby. In fact I remember having to nurse him inside one of the display tents one year. It was fun watching Jared do archery, go-karting, and fishing. No bites this year though. He also got his first air shot gun. Sort of like a BB gun but safer I guess. I have put this off for many years. I know he will be careful and knows gun safety thanks to his dad taking him to the shooting range at a young age. I found my dream camper. It has a loft with a sectional. Never seen anything like it before. Jared says he will buy it for me. And Christian was ever so happy in the backback where he could see everything. Sat started early with hairdo's for the tumbling meet. Jayden was very disappointed with her 6th and 3rd place finishes (last both times). As mean as this sounds Jer and I had hoped this would happen soon. She usually wins and needs to learn that it isn't how it always will be. She was a good sport to the others but shed a few tears of her own. As hard as that is to see it was also good to see. Kate on the other hand had her first meet and her tears were because her routine couldn't come soon enough. She had to wait for 3 hours for goodness sakes. First meet, first trophy - ah life couldn't be better - just ask her. I tried to upload my videos but couldn't. Will try later. Enjoy the pics.

The stairs won!!!

On Thurs I had a fight with the stairs and as you can see the stairs won. I don't think the pics do it justice but it hurt too much to move it any other way for the pic. So the story was that I was trying to vaccuum the van. I headed down the stairs inside with heavy vaccuum in hand. Thought there were no more steps but there was really one more. Woops! Down I go - hit head on door - head first down 2nd flight of stairs - vaccuum on top of me and really sore foot/ankle. Ok sorta funny now but still in pain so not as funny as it may be some day. I couldn't feel my toes and I had heard some crunching when I fell. I was shaking with pain and the pain was shooting up the back of my leg. As I laid there and tried to talk Kate and Jake into finding my phone which 10 min later they did I realized I had hairy legs. I knew I had to go to the ER for x-rays but wasn't gonna be caught dead with my coworkers with hairy legs. Soo, then I talked Kate into grabbing a razor and Jake into finding the spray bottle. They were great and did just what I said. I tried to stay calm but realized not only was my foot broken but every muscle was sore. So I called Susie and bless her heart she rushed over with her mom. She watched the kids and her mom took me to the ER and kept me company. Nothing was broken to my surprise thank goodness but it does still make crunching sounds. Maybe I will have to check my own x-ray out next time I go to work because I still can't believe it isn't broken. So today all is still very sore from my head to my feet and the bruising is getting worse. What a long way down for a not so little person. The bruising is worse today. THANK YOU THANK YOU to Julie for the crutches and Susie for all your help. Family and friends are great. What would I do without all of you?

Here is the normal ankle

Kid Updates

Christian started walking Jan 15th and is now mastering the stairs as of today. I am always leary to let my kids learn the stairs since Jayden had a hairline fracture in her cervical vertebrae and was unconscious for a moment after falling down 3 carpeted stairs on her 1st birthday. Christian continues to scream and is very irritable. Anyone who is around us knows how terrible this noise is. If anyone has any suggestions for us we are willing to try whatever. We also cannot vaccuum without Mr Scream riding the vaccum. At least the vaccuum sound drowns out the scream.

Kate is loving Signing Times videos. They were supposed to be for Christian to learn to better communicate but Kate has really taken a liking to them and often times plays deaf and wants us only to sign to us. That's fine - the quiet game works great on my end. She loves to sing Primary songs for church and loves her Viewmaster. She says she loves everyone as I am sitting here typing about her. She is extremely tall.

Jayden continues to love WTTC and her tumbling. Big meets coming up and her nerves are starting to set in. I think she is finally realizing what she is doing. Congrats, Jay! on getting student of the month this month. We are so proud of you and your willingness to always keep learning.

Jared is 10 going on 16 as the picture shows. He is a very smart boy and gets bored in school. He has recently discovered street hockey and plays it many hours at a time in our garage or street. He doesn't like me to take his picture as this picture shows. He longs to play hockey but I just can't let him unless he promises me that he will keep all of teeth and never initiate a fight. Hmmm! Just doesn't seem to be what hockey is about these days.

I am back at the hospital and happy about it. Being gone has given me a good check of what kind of a nurse I want to be and what kind of care I want to give. Everyone is glad to see me back and I have easily gotten right back into the groove without too much trouble.

Can't wait to get my piano. Soon. Until another blog entry - see ya.

Mr Scream on the vaccuum

Kate the snow angel

Student of the month

Mr Cool

So this is my first pair of knitted socks. Not so bad for the first time. Thanks James for all your help with my questions. They just look so warm don't they? Making things is so rewarding. A little piece of my heart goes with each project I make. The whole time I am making something I just think how cute things will look on the one I am making it for.

Brrrrrrreautiful

This is my made up word for what I saw when I woke up today. Yes it is freezing but so beautiful. At least when you see a sight like this it makes it not seem as cold and you can even enjoy the beauty of the cold weather. I snapped these pics just along the side of the road and quickly called my friend who I know loves to take pics and does a much better job than I do. Enjoy! Maybe it will make us all feel a little warmer.