Merry Christmas ya'll!!!

I'm home with Kylee since she's really sick.  Aaron and Krysten went ahead to the ranch this morning and hopefully we'll head up tomorrow.  We are planning on being there thru Christmas. 

I have cleaned and done tons of laundry.  I even did dishes.  I am running out of things to do.  I know, I still need to wrap presents and get packed for the week, but I seem to be procrastinating...dunno why. 

I keep checking Facebook about every 15 minutes.  Not much exciting happens during those 15 minutes.  I'm even too lazy to facestalk people.  I also keep checking my blog, but no one has posted anything new in the last 15 minutes. 

I guess that means that it's my turn to post something.

One of the things I enjoy about Christmas time is receiving all the Christmas letters and pictures from all our friends and family.  I love reading the letters and looking at the pictures and seeing how everyone has grown/changed in the last year.  I love hear about what people have been up to- even if I already knew what they were up to. 

Most years I even send out my own version of a Christmas letter, sometimes a picture.   I even had my picture all picked out that I was going to send out this year.  I knew it as soon as I snapped the picture 6 months ago.  It was a gorgeous picture of my 3 girls. 

The lousy economy has now even hit my Christmas picture.  Blame it on Obama, why not?!!  So, in the interest in saving money this year, I have decided to send virtual Christmas greetings. 

Our year has been an insanely busy one.  Anyone that reads my blog, or follows me on Facebook can attest to that.  We joke that if it weren't for our cell phones, Aaron and I would never get to talk to eachother.  We are extremely busy with our activities and the girls' activities.  And no, I don't want to get into a philosophical discussion on whether or not we are too busy.  We'll save that for another day.

Tracey is halfway thru her 8th grade year (don't remind me that high school is just around the corner).  She's involved in sports- volleyball and basketball.  She's also active with our church's youth group called Surge.  She can't wait until she gets her license and we even let her drive to the neighbor's house.  Hey!  Don't freak out- it's a dirt road.  So that makes it okay.  Don't argue. :)  She had 2 surgeries on her arm this past spring, and she now needs to return for another in March.  Please keep praying for healing on her arm. 

Kylee is going to PreK this year and absolutely loves it.  She really loves school and I hope she will continue to be challenged.  She started out at the Montessori School and really excelled there, but we put her in PreK in the fall because, well, because it's free!  Anyone that has ever met her knows she has a huge personality...I don't think she's ever met a stranger.  This summer we saw some new places and she really remembers them and talks about them.  Abraham Lincoln I think will forever be in her mind, and she knows lots about him too.  Elvis is also a fascination for her, not his music- but his house. 

Krysten is fabulous.  Her curls and those blue eyes are gonna be heartbreakers soon.  She is so mischevious.  She draws on everything.  Just last night I caught her drawing on the laundry basket with a sharpie she'd found somewhere.  She is going to daycare and really enjoys it there.  It is right across the street from Kylee's school, so Kylee is there part time as well.  Her and Kylee have also started ballet.  Kylee loves it, but I'm thinking hiphop would be more Krysten's style!

Despite my best efforts, I am still down in Lordsburg.  I am still teaching PE.  Enough about that.  I am also still teaching in AWANA's.  I've been doing it for about 7 years.  Krysten and Kylee have also started Cubbies and they have lots of fun.

(Now, I know if you're not around here you might not realize this BUT- Kylee goes to school in the Cobre school district, Tracey goes to the Silver school district, and I am in the Lordsburg district.  Three different districts?  Three different schedules?  And you wonder why my life is crazy!)

Aaron is still fighting fire with the forest service, although I think he's discovered a direction he really enjoys- teaching.   He really enjoys leading the fire trainings that fire fighters are required to attend.  He has a passion for it, so I know he'll do great.  He and I also have a small group Bible study that we lead in our church.  I really love our small group and we have so much fun.

Tracey, Krysten, and Kylee at the Covered Bridge park in Zumbrota, Minnesota.

Merry Christmas!

from the Jones family,

Aaron, Dayna, Tracey, Kylee, and Krysten