I thought I might be productive today and do a new post. I am so grateful for other bloggers out there who faithfully keep their blog updated - I am in awe. I feel like I should have more time to do it - I only have 3 kids! But most days it eludes me. Too much time browsing the internet and looking at my phone, I hate to admit. But today I will update this sad little neglected blog.

Fall is finally deciding to come to our part of Texas. Hallelujah. Change of the seasons is always fun - new foods to make and new clothes to wear. This time of year is especially fun, just ask my children. Blake LOVES Halloween due to the candy. It's pretty safe to say she is obsessed with it. (Which makes it pretty easy to bribe her to do things, I hate to admit.) Blake and Bentley are at the really fun age because the holiday season is special and exciting to them because they know what to expect. (Was that a run-on sentence or what?) And Bristol gets excited because they get excited, so everyone gets excited. Fun times.

This is the only recent picture I have of Bristol on the computer - the rest are on my phone. He's a special child. :)

I started looking at pictures of Bentley and Blake when they were the same age of Bristol. 

I am a little embarrased to admit this, but when Bentley was this age and he woke up at the crack of dawn, I would turn on Sesame Street and give him a dry bowl of cereal. And go back to sleep for a half hour.

This one morning he actually went and got the cereal himself and poured it into a bowl. It was a real eye-opener.

Oh, Blakers. Such a cutie pie. With short hair! I think this was the time I tried cutting her hair and had to keep cutting it in order for it to be even. Suffice it to say, it was the last time I cut her hair.

Sassy-pants, before she was even 2. I'm doomed.

Look at how young these three were - Ariana, Blake and Karen.

Blake and Ariana with their friend, Bridgette. (I didn't have a current pic of Karen.) So big now!

I love these kiddos. Please don't ever grow up!

Summer so far

Oh wow, where do I start? I am horrible at keeping up with this blog, but every once in a while I feel the need to update it. I just found a super easy way to post on blogger so here’s to hoping this will happen more often.
I cannot believe that August starts next week! Bentley starts 1st grade in August! And why does 1st grade seem so old compared to kindergarten? That kid is ready for a schedule for sure – I’m not one who sticks to a schedule, poor kid. It’s safe to say he thrives in school, as much as he’d denies it. (He’s getting to the age where kids start to not like school – I knew it was bound to happen. He secretly loves it.)He ended the year on a high note and got the principal's award in his class! A pretty high honor, we were really proud. His teacher and him really got along, we really lucked out in that area. I know for a fact that she was a big reason his kindergarten year was so great.  I went on a trip to Utah in June by myself to visit siblings and cousins. It was a much needed trip – who knew a flight could be so enjoyable?? I read the whole time. Heavenly. I was ready to get back to my kids after 4 days or so. Fantastic time seeing my brother, sister, Mom and cousins and their kids that I haven’t seen in years.  Other than that trip, we have just been hanging out at home and the pool. Really, is there any other place to hang out in Houston in the summer? Luckily we’ve had a few visits from the cousins and that makes the time seem to go by quicker. Dave found an awesome deal on a big play set for the kids and they have been loving it, humidity/heat and all. Blake got her hair cut for the first time at the hair place I go to. We got to spend a day on the lake, thanks to Dave’s boss inviting us to go on his boat. It was a blast – we love Dave’s boss and his family. We feel really blessed that Dave loves his job so much and the great people he gets to work with. We also got new furniture – a new couch, kitchen table (it’s the one in the pics with the dark top and cream legs) AND an entertainment center. Our house is slowly starting to feel like a home with some nice furniture.
That’s it for now – my bedtime was about a half hour ago. Hopefully I’ll blog again soon! I’ll make a goal of it.

I am trying to be better about blogging. Sorry for the hiatus. I've had my Iphone for over a year and I'm still figuring out how the pictures-to-computer-to-blog process works.

I am posting one picture as a test to see how clear it appears on the blog.

The quality and clearness of my pictures has not been to my liking lately.

Hopefully those days are behind me now.

 

As for an update:

Bentley just joined swim team, thus the shirt. They worked on diving for the first time the other day, and B executed a fantastic belly-flop. At least he's not afraid, right?

Blake is learning how to read, (she is doing GREAT so far) and has also learned how to ride her bike with no training wheels. The only area she needs improvment in is the stopping on her own. You know, one of the most important parts of riding a bike.

Bristol is getting really excited to go into nursury soon. (6 more Sundays, but who's counting?) He just doesn't know the fun that awaits him yet.

Dave is still liking and excelling at his job. But let's be honest - he excells at pretty much everything he tries. He's awesome like that.

I, for some crazy reason, joined a neighborhood running group that runs at 5:30 am three times a week. What the heck was I thinking?? By the time I get out there it feels great and I'm really happy to be doing it. It's just the first 15 minutes of being awake that is rough. I also am going to do a Mud Run at the end of May with some friends. If you haven't tried one yet, you should. They are really fun and muddy and exciting and fantastic. You know you want to come to Houston and join me. :)

 

 

I love this picture right now. It shows all the sibling-love going on around here.

 

I really haven't given up blogging. The pictures I've been posting from my computer are coming out really blurry and it's been bothering me A LOT. I know there is a way to fix it. I just haven't figured it out yet. I just wanted to give all those thousands of people who read my blog a heads up, because I know a lot of people were really worried. :) I feel out of the loop because I took the Facebook app off my phone for a while because I wanted to see if I could refrain from checking it so often. It was getting a little ridiculous.
As for an update on us, nothing is really new around here. Bentley just had his 6th birthday(!!!) and we had a little party for him. Blake is still the fashion diva, and has just turned a corner in the bossy area. I'm not sure if I like it, but what can you do. And Bristol just keeps being cute. Almost running, yelling as he does it and SO close to talking. Dave still is getting used to his job and seems to be liking it really well. I'm doing all I can to keep up with three active, and usually well-behaved, children. Getting up early to get Bentley off to school still hurts a bit. His school starts at 7:45. That means I have to get up around 6:45. Does that seem early to anyone else but me?? Just wondering. I'm also slowly getting to know the other girls around here. I used to be really social in that area, but these days anytime I have free time I just want to do nothing. Or eat a meal in silence. Or watch a show for 30 minutes without having to do anything for anyone. You know, little things like that that you take for granted until you have 2 or more small children in your household. I just keep reminding myself that this is just a short season in my life, and that I'll miss it someday. Somedays it does NOT feel like that though.
Okay, I'm done rambling. I could go on, but my kids have been entertaining themselves for long enough. It's right at the point where it's about to get ugly. Time to go intervene. And clean.

It’s been a while

Brace yourself for a LONG post. I’ve been procrastinating this blog, and this is the result. December is a busy month for us – Bristol’s birthday, Christmas and our anniversary. We also had fun visitors – Lorraine’s family. Oh, and Dave surprised me with an awesome (kid-free) anniversary trip to Mexico. It was the first trip we have ever gone on without the kids, so it was really relaxing. And peaceful. But it was the perfect amount of time because I was ready to get back to the kids.

 

These two. You can’t tell, but they love each other.

 

Look at those dimpled hands. Can he stay this age forever, please?

 

Bristol with his cousin Elijah.

 

Bristol was lucky enough to have his cousins come to visit on his birthday.

 

This picture…

 

…led to this one. They were legitimately freaked out – as in, almost hyperventilating – because they thought Bristol would touch the flame. And die, or something.

This is his new face whenever I get the camera out and tell him to say cheese.

 

Bentley teaching his younger brother about legos. So cute.

 

A few days before Christmas, all of the Jackson kids got together at Grandpa Jackson’s house. Daniel and Nashelle were spending Christmas in TX, so Lorraine put together a family nativity. The kids acted it out, we sang songs, and ate good food. It was awesome because 9 out of 11 of the Jackson kids were there. With their spouses and children. A little bit of  a madhouse, but still fun.

 

Blake, Ariana and Garin.

 

Bentley and Claire.

 

A dressed-up shot. (Of the cousins participating, at least.)

 

The shepherds – Jack, Bentley, Ariana and Joshua.

 

Blake was the star. As you can see, she took her role very seriously.

 

A semi-decent family picture! Very rare around here.

 

These two cousins really do love each other, when they are not fighting and acting like real sisters. It’s quite funny, really.

 

He got new Christmas pajamas, but did he wear them on Christmas morning? Of course not!

 

Bentley and Blake got new scooters for Christmas – their favorite gift, they keep telling me. You can’ t really see it in this picture, but the brakes spark. Bentley LOVES it. Blake is just happy to stay on the scooter. She’ll worry about the spark part later.

 

Oh, this boy. Walking everywhere.

 

Again, his camera face. Love it.

 

Dave surprised me with a 3 day trip to Cancun. One of the days we were there, we went on a day-trip to Chichen Itza. It is one of the most famous temple ruins in South America, so much so that it is one of the new 7 Wonders of the World. On the way to Chichen Itza, we stopped by a Cenote.  It is an underground lake with a lot of stalagmites and stalactites everywhere. They have been around for thousands of years and were sacred places for the Mayan people.  It was pretty amazing.

 

A very ancient church. The history of Yucatan – the area where all these sites were – was amazing.

 

Chichen Itza. Listening to the tour guide was fascinating. It really makes a person want to study ancient history more in depth. As Dave said, listening and learning about this ancient civilization was “strangely emotional”. It made me realize how important genealogical work is.

 

A big playing arena, much like the Coliseum.

 

Where the king and queen and other royalty sat while the games were being played.

 

It was an amazing trip, and I was really surprised that my husband planned it. It was the first time we celebrated our anniversary with a trip. Well deserved and much needed.

 

This little girl always wants to have her hair down. Instead of fighting her about it, I just gave in and bought some headbands. Problem solved.
 

 

I thought I’d leave you with this awesome picture. Don’t you just want to eat him up?? (Or maybe it’s the other way around. He looks a little crazy here.)