Key West is for Straight CouplesToo

All the making out on this trip was made possible by the following sponsors (aka babysitters of Gibson):
Grandma and Grandpa Jones
Grandma and Grandpa Durney
Aunts Celine, Danna, Kendee
and Grandma Kempton

The Reach Resort Pier

First Stop Hard Rock Cafe Atlanta w/Rod & Jazz

It's tradition for us to get a shake and take home the pilsner glass

Fortunately Key West could accomodate our tradition as well

Perfect Pedi, Pier, and Playa

What a change of pace... "how many life sized games of chess can we play this afternoon?"

Our favorite private beach to crash, complete with popsicles and frozen towels

(not pictured) Barracudas, Eagle Ray, Turtle, Lobster, Parrot Fish, Tuna and Stingless Jelly Fish
to name a few of the finds on our snorkel trip

Annie and Kara secretly fighting their nausea on the way back from the Reef.

We reached the soft under-belly of the South!

Jazz & Rod-Big thank u for putting us up & for bringing me my favorite snack before we headed back to Phoenix ;-)
Jason & Annie- We got super close this trip...
From the hellish backseat driving, swine flu symptoms, Crabby Dicks, Scattergories & Settler's, crappy pull-out sofa, key lime pie(s), ghetto movie theatre with the broken record previews, 50% off breakfast, lunch & dinner, that odd couple where the guy had a big gut and his girlfriend with the shiny new boobs, the intoxicated man whom I kept yelling at to stop smoking around you Annie, and Jason's 25 cent hot dog adventure and Annie holding us hostage that one morning when her first trimester craving was not being met j/k...we look forward to the next Johns/Jones vacay complete with kids and massages again, of course.

"I'm what you would call, Indoors-y"

Camping is for the Jones boys.
I'm gonna let the world know what I, Kara Jones, eldest of 5 girls, think of camping; -through the mouth of Jim Gaffigan.
Well said, Standing Ovation, Encore, thank you Jim for helping Quinton to understand where I'm coming from.
If I'm forced to go camping, I'll hike for exercise, I'll sleep (the +/- ions are always good) and I'll eat. But NOTHING ELSE.
This trip I didn't pack my suitcase, i didn't drive, I didn't help set up the tent, I didn't help build a fire, I didn't help cook, I didn't help clean up, I didn't help pack the car back up, and I certainly didn't unload the car. But I did do the dirty laundry cuz that camping smell has no place in my home.



Gibson loves camping, slept so well & all night! He was mesmerized by the campfire. He loved having Moby to explore the creek with.

So those of you that r looking to do a weekend get-away of the "camping nature" with the Jones' feel free to UN-invite me, no hard feelings, I understand. I'll go to the spa and sleep in my cozy bed, take a hot shower/ use a flushing toilet. You can burn your vacay days sleeping on the ground, getting dirty, then trying to find somewhere to wash your hands- knock yourselves out.

P.S. Q is in the market for an interim camping wife. All potential candidates may post your comments here detailing your qualifications.

If You're a Snowbird from Beautiful British Columbia, What Are U Doing in Arizona?

Okay, enough of the heat, enough of the harassment about being a lame blogger, it's time to showcase our trip to Whistler.

This is the view from our room.

Prior to hitting the slopes I do my yoga & get some gear @ Lululemon.

Namaste Astird...

I mean, Astrid.

If you're a loyal "Office" fan, you saw this coming a million miles away...
(if you have no clue what I'm talking about, make sure to leave a comment in regards to the pic and I'll be sure to Not invite you to our Office Trivia soiree)

Quinton cooked up some bacon (bleh) and I took the liberty of wrapping up the leftover slices and feeding them to dogs around the village. Moby wasn't around & I waste not.

This was the gondola that went up Whistler mountain, 4 days later, one of the lifts off the neighboring Blackcomb gondola would come crashing down. No fatalities thank heaven.

Quinton is lightning fast. He was willing and oh so sweet to go 100 yds, wait for me to catch up, then disappear back into the fog. I did get braver with the practice.

Crisp. Clean. Clear. Cold Canadian Rockies.

Loved the hot tubs here at the lodge...no pics, sorry.

Some say stupid, I say dedicated, Quinton boarded his butt off with cracked ribs and a fractured shoulder blade. Next time he wants to do the helicopter drop (only after he gets a life insurance policy)

We missed the grand opening of this ride by 6 hours. Guess we gotta go back.

Gibson hung out with Grandmapa Durney and his aunties, plus Meghan my cousin while we were gone for the week, here we are looking a little anxious to see our little dude.
We're excited to get his EXPENSIVE feet in snowboard boots asap. (hope he's half as good as Ketsy's boy, Rune)

As much as I loved this matching mom&stroller ensemble, I'd look ridiculous sporting it even on the coldest day in AZ

This is me, tired & ready to get back to Gibson.
Me and Q fought out a few paper rock scissor rounds to see who got to hold and cuddle with him first.

I cheated.

Just FYI if you go to Whistler:

1. Get ready to hear remakes of every american pop song.
2. Solarice Spa, request Emily if you get a facial- she's fantastic!
3. It does a body good to get a massage after 3 days of boarding, mine was luxurious!
   
4. There are mostly Aussies on the mountain, Aussies everywhere!
5. Try to hit up the Costco in Vancouver, you'll save $ on food, like i wish we had.
6. Canadians really don't like their health care system... I'm gonna hold myself back and make no further comment
7. You can sell your lift ticket to locals who can't afford the season pass and just want to hit the slopes for an hour or two... $20-$30 bucks...reinvested back to Solarice Spa...
8. Alkali lake is not very far from the resort. That's for you X-Men fans out there.
   
9. You do not need a car at all if you are staying in Whistler Village, everything is walking distance.
10. Incase you don't already know, don't even think about Whistler for winter 09' the Olympics will be there.
11. Funny story/ golden info: Q and I were having a 2nd honeymoon kind of a time when all of a sudden the fire alarm for the lodge went off. We scrambled for our warm clothes, passports, laptop, money, snacks, phones, phone chargers, boots... can you picture it? It was such a joke, probably took us 10 min to get the heck out of our room. (Dwight would've been gravely disappointed) So word to the wise, have your necessary things that will get you back to America, altogether in one place. Thank goodness there was no actual fire, but boy did we look ridiculous being the last people in the lobby with all the crap we had. As if my cell phone, let alone the charger, was worth my life.... sheesh.
    

Shabby Apple Contest

I am a loyal customer to the online shop, SHABBY APPLE.
The contest is to design a vignette and the winner is donned the very outfit they put together... little did they know they were opening a forum for women to purge their dreams and hopes. If anything, all the contestants should appreciate the free facilitated therapy session. Thanks Shabby Apple.

May I introduce the first of 3 vignettes I put together all inspired by my love of THE BIG APPLE- New York City

"Taxi! Lincoln Center, Please"

The story behind this noble looking ensemble all started with an 18 month relationship with a former boyfriend, that was terminated via email. Yes, you read it right. I was dumped via-e-mail!
So those of you who've ever been dumped via- text message, via- "post-it" note, and for you "Office" fans out there (when Michael broke up with Jan via-voicemail)...you know what I'm talking about. What the crap!
I moved to NY shortly thereafter to do a Pilates apprenticeship and lived there 4 months. I didn't turn to Rx drugs, junk food, heavy partying and alcohol, or romantic comedies. (not that romantic comedies aren't a good launch point for recooperating yourself esteem after a lousy break-up.) I turned to fine clothing, shoes, & accessories-things that enhanced and empowered me.
Had Shabby Apple been an option then, this is EXACTLY what I would've bought. This vignette describes my search in getting little pieces of my soul back. You put on a dress like this and you KNOW you're worth an in-person break-up.

To get everyone current, I am happily married to Q, and my 10 month-old, Gibson, what a gift from God.
I'll forever be proud of myself for choosing to remember my spirit, my Creator, my worth.








"Times Square Countdown!"





"Central Park Promenade"






I have my own motto when it comes to shopping:
Get the dress, then make plans.

If you look @ my former post, I have several pieces from Shabby Apple that appear in my New York trip.
I got the dresses first, then I booked my flight.

Ladies,
If you have a dream vacay planned, a high school reunion up & coming, or you're sick of your sweats...(a.k.a kid-friendly clothes for you moms out there) then you're out of excuses to not treat yourself already!
So, I urge you to ditch my blog, stimulate the starving economy and do some one-stop shopping @ shabbyapple.com. Everything pictured, every piece of the 3 vignettes is from their online wardrobe. No need to burn gas going to the mall...go green and familiarize yourself with their awesome selection.
I recommend stopping @ the Fit to Flatter section first.

Fashionably yours,

Mrs. Jones

Manhattan, Staten Island, Hamptons

We know that it is November, but we thought it is better late than never to post our Summer vacation.
Check the previous post for a summary from June - October

A view of the city skyline from the Staten Island Ferry

Turtle Pond in Central Park

Outside of the NBC Building at 30 Rockefeller Plaza

This is Isabella's on the Upper Westside of Manhattan. This is an Italian favorite of ours.

Gibson had a blast playing with cousin Mimi.

Abe (Mimi's husband) made quick friends with Gibson over a half pint.

Kara and I had plenty of fights over who got the hammock to themselves. Gibson won.

New York was Gibson's first vacation and his solid foods debut.

We really enjoyed taking the SI Ferry into the city. Out of the 10 day visit, we probably rode the ferry a dozen times.

The Ferry ride after going to the Manhattan Temple. The sun setting coupled with the city fading into the fog is a favorite of ours.

We got to see the Statue of Liberty every time we rode.

Our favorite day in New York, hands down, was spent on the beach in the Hamptons.

Gibson needed to recoup after a tough battle with the Atlantic.

White sand beaches
No trash
No Mexicans asking if we wanted a bracelet with our names or a tattoo
Good surf conditions
Good Crab Cakes
All in all a great day

Playing at Cupsogue Beach



We definitely crammed a lot of stuff into our vacation, but it was all worth it. Gibson was a good sport for all of the hussle and hooplah. He was even an easy kid on the transcontinental flights.
Kara was feeling brave to post these photos with a post-pregnancy body. Be nice with your comments or I will be forced to go private.

The June-October Blur

I organized this post as if I've been posting all along. Take a look at our last couple of family events starting with the most recent.

Moby, our new dog, givin' Gibson some lovin'
October 2008

Gibson's 2nd Photo Shoot

Photography by Dori Shick

A. Keys is so classy & kinda coy when she does a show. This is my 2nd Alicia Keys concert.

September 2008
Alicia Keys Concert
7th Row!!!!
L-O-V-E the way she performs. Her band and vocal back-up was sensational. Quinton liked that the drums & rhythms section was right there in our laps! See in the top photo how there's 3 people in front of me. Those of you who have been to concerts with me know that I was without a voice by the end of the night.

August 2008
Gibson's Surgery
Cute & Clueless

August 2008
Gibson's Casts after Surgery
These casts were so heavy!

Gibson Standing up 3 weeks after surgery

August 2008
Swimming at Stapley Pool

July 2008
Staten Island Boardwalk with the Verrazano Bridge in the distance.
P.S. It costs $11 to drive over that bridge; it's all about the Bayonne Bridge baby when you travel NYC.

July 2008
Rice-t0-Riches in Manhattan
w/ Jason and Annie Johns

July 2008 New York
My parents saw this musical when they were dating and hoped their eldest daughter would grow to be just like Olivia Newton-Johns character; a golden haired singer who's cheery & loves to roller skate.
Close Dan & Linda, close.

July 2008 New York
Letterman Show with the Johns family
Guests: Maggie Gyllenhal & Neil Young & some stupid Brooklyn band
Maggie looked beautiful, very charming and I could relate to her funny nursing bra story.
Neil Young looked like a bum who just painted a garage and we were all so blessed to hear his anti-Pres. Bush rhetoric.

This boy is stinky @ the end of the day from all the kisses he gets.

This picture makes him his MAMA'S baby

June 2008
Gibson's Photo Shoot
Photographer Dori Shick

Both shoots were done by my friend Dori, she flies in from Seattle and we always have a fun couple of hours with her during the session. Check out her work.
Other contributing photographers are Miriam & Abraham Friend with Studio 75 in S.I. NY

Gibson Made His First "Father and Son's"

Much to the amazement of the other men in our ward, Gibson headed off with his Dad and Grandpa up to Moqui Draw for a weekend in the woods. He had quite the set up: Pack N' Play, Baby Einstein saucer, and a lot of snacks on Mom's "unapproved list." So of course he had a blast. Gibson could not get enough of sitting around the campfire and walking in the woods.
It was interesting to see the reactions of the other Dads there when I took over the fire to warm up G.Q.'s breast milk.

Why We Call Him G.Q.

When we were done bathing Gibson when he was only a few weeks old, he kept giving his dad this look like he thought he was a some model for "GQ." Which, of course, he is. So we indulged his ego and took a few pictures.

G.Q. Thinks He's a Boarder

So Gibson has let it go to his head that he is a snowboarder already. Now he's asking if we are cool with him getting a tattoo and dreadlocks. Obviously we said yes.
Actually he has become quite accustomed to his brace and doesn't know that the rest of us can move our legs independently from each other. So we have been very consistent about not leaving it off for more than a second or two.

Jones Legacy

Since my father only hit one homerun and Kara's family was a big girl factory, we were a little curious to see if genetics would allow the continuation of the Jones name. I am happy to report that the seed is pure.