Family News after a long hiatus

OK Family, we thought of creating a family newspaper and then realized our family doesn't read newspapers, so we're starting up the blog again.  (We hope you read blogs.)

All is well here.  I hope you have all seen pictures of our newest grandson, Elliott Michael Jones, born February 9, 2016.

What a Smile!  (I don't know why it copied sideways)

Elliott newborn

We stayed in Salt Lake City in 'Cellus and Jo Snow's beautiful apartment at The Brigham the month of February, and got totally spoiled, being able to walk from there to Memory Grove, City Creek Canyon and all over downtown as well as swim in the complex's pool whenever we wanted to.  And we were able to visit the hospital when Elliott was born, and be among the first to hold him.

It has been a beautiful spring.  The tulips Peter brought from Holland so many years ago were gorgeous this year, and the flowering trees were particularly pretty--but I failed to take pictures.  All my photos lately seem to be of Elliott.

Greg used muscles he had forgotten he had tilling the vegetable garden, and risked life and limb by climbing ladders to trim the fruit trees.  The ash trees in our back yard and the ones in Bassett's and Colledge's have grown up and are shading much of our vegetable garden, so last year's crop was disappointing.  We tried to adjust the plantings this spring, and it looks like we'll have a good crop of apricots, peaches, and walnuts this year too, unlike last when a late frost took all the fruit but the apples.  Monti has weeded and planted the front garden areas with flowers and trimmed the bushes next to the house.  We got some strawberry plants from neighbors last year, and planted them by the rock wall.  We'll have strawberries in about a week, but not nearly enough to make jam.  Why is homemade jam so much better than store bought?  It doesn't seem fair somehow.

Dave and Erica Low and their six kids are still filling the apartment next door with life.  It's fun to watch the kids playing in the backyard, and Monti likes chatting and exchanging food creations with Erica.  Last week Lows finally broke ground on their house.  We all celebrated.  If you want to follow its progress go to Erica's Facebook page.  She's got lots of shots of her cute kids, too.  We'll miss them when they move.

We still have missionaries living in the basement.  They are nice guys, but we haven't had as much connection with these two as we have with some of the others.  They are serving in the other stake, so we don't see them at church or visit with them about their work, and they seem a little lost--sleeping in, not quite following mission rules, etc.  It makes me sad because I have come to understand that obedience is the key to having spiritual confidence, and I know how much more effective they could be.

Catching up with the kids:

from top: Gabe, Josh and Sam the dog--or is it Scarlet?

Dave jokes that he anticipates getting a pink slip sometime soon because at (almost) 48 he is the oldest guy around at Microsoft, but so far he's still gainfully employed.  He says two in his group just jumped ship.  Nic is working part time at their local library, and is loving it.  She has been spending all her spare time and energy hiking--trying to get 50 hikes in by September.  Josh and Gabe have a month of school before summer vacation.  They have dropped soccer this year, and  Josh is enjoying running track. Gabe is playing flag football, studying taekwondo, and trying to earn enough money working around the house to buy a cell phone.  The dogs are doing fine.

News from Jane: Jacob was ordained a priest last month, will be a senior next year, and is trying to decide what direction he wants to go after high school. After two years of being home-schooled Jennifer is trying to decide whether or not to go back to classroom learning.  And Mike got a much deserved raise!

Becca as Blossom Queen for their local gardening group

Becca's family likes living in Germany.  Taber has been enjoying his work, and they all love the ward they are in.  Ella and Simeon will be visiting Johnson cousins in Utah this summer, and we hope to see them. It would be fun to have the whole family visiting, but two by two is fine, too.  We enjoyed visiting them last summer, and had fun travelling to Berlin with Inessa and Ella.

Monti and Abe did a 550 piece "1000 Waldos) puzzle when he first
arrived for the summer.  It required using a magnifying glass.

Miriam's family is moving to Los Angeles this summer.  Nathan got promoted to colonel, and will be posted there.  They are looking online for a house to rent, but so far haven't found anything suitable.  Abe is living with us for the summer while working at the Space Dynamics Lab.  He plans to continue at USU in the fall.  Sam just graduated from high school, and is putting in his mission papers.  Enoch just got his drivers license.  The younger kids, Seth, Abby and Tabitha are doing fine.  Mims is still working part time at the local gym.  She must have been exercising too hard--her back has been bothering her.

Pete is still working at the start-up he left Lincoln Labs for, and enjoying it.  Cami came to Utah for her niece's wedding.  She has been doing an intermittent fasting diet, and looks great!  While here, cute little Cece dropped a "heavy object" on Cami's toe, and her toenail split.  It's taken awhile, but she's back on her feet.  Bryn is still playing soccer, but her main loves are drama and music.  Calvin is studying classical guitar among other things.  Ivy and Cece are doing fine.  If you want to see some really cute photos follow their blog: thefamilyjonesbloggers.blogsopot.com.

Mike is working at Western Governors University as a counselor for education majors, and Elizabeth has transitioned from working at Intermountain Health to being a full time mom to baby Elliott, age 3 1/2 months, who is getting cuter every day.

We opened the cabin a week or so ago--no breaks in the water pipes.  Hooray!  We got the water heater working, but didn't turn on the furnace, opting to use the wood stove instead.  It was snowing lightly when we arrived, but cleared up quickly.  Sunrise over the lake the next morning was as beautiful as always.  We keep talking about selling either the house or the cabin or both, and renting or buying an apartment in downtown Salt Lake City.  When we were in SLC in February it seemed like a good idea, but we couldn't get better neighbors than we have in Providence.