The Band of Annuals

At the Vaelour in Provo checking out this band. They are super good.
If I can find a link to some of their tunes online I will post it later.

My New Logo

Just wanted to share in my excitement. I got a new logo for my t-shirt website. It was done by the local company Logoworks. I initially had a few different concepts to choose from and this one is the one that I liked the most. At first it didn't have a white letter t inside the shirt and I was worried that it might be misread as Jones shirts.com. So, I had them add the t and now I totally love it. Anyway, probably not that exciting to anyone else reading this but I am pretty stoked about it. I am having t-shirts made with the logo on it. If anyone wants one, let me know. They will be free as long as you promise to wear it sometimes.

:: First Park Day of the Year ::

:: Conversion Story ::

So I used to crochet, a lot, not that I was very good but I felt some confidence in my abilities. I love making stuff out of yarn; however I have always loved the finish look of a knitted item over the finished look of a crocheted one. I didn't realize that knitters can be really crusty about crocheters, (who knew) but apparently there is a lot of animosity out there in crafty blog land.

I still like to crochet, however I find it hard to go back to since getting into knitting. I am even less competent with knitting needles then I am with a crochet hook. I can't whip up sweaters in two days like some, I still haven't finished those freakin' socks and I still avoid patterns with too many tricky stitches. But I love knitting, so I have converted my little hook organizer to all things knitting.

I made this last year and I am thrilled to see that my needles and knitting notions fit so nicely. Hooray for multitaskers!

This Japanese fabric is the back side and though I love it, it is just a little too cute, almost creepy cute, oh well.

Any Guesses?

Who can guess what this is a picture of?

:: Tulips and Cookies ::

Jones Family Peanut Butter Cookies

1 ½ cups butter (room temp)
1 ½ cups sugar
1 ½ cups brown sugar
1 egg
1/8 cup water
1 ¾ cups good quality peanut butter (crunchy is the best)
1 tbsp vanilla
1 ¾ cups ap flour
1 ¼ cups quick oats
¾ tsp baking soda
1 ¼ tsp salt (kosher)

Cream the sugars and the butter, add the egg, water and vanilla, mix. Add the peanut butter, mix. Combine the dry ingredients and pour into batter, mix.

Bake at 375 degrees for 8-12 minutes. For under cooked cookies look for a slight browning around the edges before removing or let the cookies get a little darker on top and then remove from the oven.

This recipe is slightly different from the one found in our Family cook book that Lori and Dave compiled. These are my favorite cookies to make and give away; they are filled with so much peanut buttery goodness. Sometimes I put chocolate chips in and, this time we made some plain, some with chocolate chips, and some with chocolate chips and macadamia nuts.

These little packages are all ready to go out to some amazing women in our ward as a thank you. Last weekend I jacked my back up, not too bad but I couldn't go to church and I was supposed to cover someone in nursery but had to call a sub instead.

These two little naughty McGees grabbed cookies (their third ones, but not their last for the day) off the counter after I had stripped off their boots and shoes before coming in the house from our tulip planting expedition. Before I could put everything away and get back into the house they had already gotten to the goods. Oh well.

Happy Birthday Pop Pop!

Dad, I know in Germany it is already the day after your birthday. But here in Utah, there is still another hour to go. So, just so you didn't think we forgot, I uploaded this birthday video for you from Josh & Jane (mostly Jane)
Love you!

Long Day

Jane is taking a little break after a long day of activity.

:: The Thrill is Gone ::

I knew this day would come, but now that it has, I fear for the future. Let me take you back ten plus years when I first got involved with the "smack," as I call it. I was young and innocent, and sure I drank soda, but I only drank it to fit in. Then I found Mountain Dew and after a few years I stopped drinking it just around friends. It would find its way into my shopping cart or I would tell my roommates that I needed to run out for some pumpernickel but instead I would come home sans pumpernickel but with MD on my breath.

Years later, I have accepted my addiction, I have grown to love it and celebrate it. After all Mountain Dew is the sweet sweet nectar of the gods and who am I to deny myself a swig of the beautiful electric pee tinted goodness. I finally made the switch to Diet Mountain Dew after my systems declared that all that sugar can and will eventually cripple me.

I have tried to quit before (unsuccessfully) but this year I decided enough is enough and I gave it up entirely, that is until today. I had a completely crusty day that I can't really explain except that I was feeling fairly surly and started thinking about DMD again. I was out and about with the kids and I realized all my problems would go away if I could just have a 32oz of the good stuff from my favorite Crest. The more I thought about it the more I convinced myself that, Yes, I did indeed need that drink.

So I got it, it wasn't anything like I remembered; it was hideous, completely unsatisfying and gross. My sisters would tell me that you have to push past the after taste, keep drinking until it is good again. It wasn’t just the after taste, it was the before taste, and the taste taste that was just no good.

This really should be good news, I should be glad to put this behind me, but I’m not. I now have nothing to fall back on, I can't drink regular MD anymore because it is too sweet and now my DMD has betrayed me as well. I know it sounds ridiculous but I don't think I can accurately explain the disappointment. It's like finding out your BFF only wrote K.I.T. in your high school yearbook.

Oh the Humanity!

:: Jane's Yogurt ::

Happy Valentine's Day to you too!

With only 5 minutes to spare!

We had a fun time going out to the Bombay House and watching more
episodes of Flight of the Conchords. I love you Camille!

:: Happy Valentines Day Kgordee ::

Let me not to the marriage of true minds
Admit impediments. Love is not love
Which alters when it alteration finds,
Or bends with the remover to remove:
O no! it is an ever-fixed mark
That looks on tempests and is never shaken;
It is the star to every wandering bark,
Whose worth's unknown, although his height be taken
Love's not Time's fool, though rosy lips and cheeks
Within his bending sickle's compass come:
Love alters not with his brief hours and weeks,
But bears it out even to the edge of doom.
If this be error and upon me proved,
I never writ, nor no man ever loved.

-William Shakespeare

:: Old Hat, New Hat ::

I finally finished this hat, though finished is a loose term since it hasn't been blocked and I haven't woven in the loose ends yet, but here it is.




I know the yarn and the knitting is a wee bit wacky tabacky, but I like it and will wear it with glee.

Elk Meadows

We spent this past weekend with the Campbells at their condo/cabin down in Elk Meadows near Beaver. We went there 2 years ago when the kids were about 9 months. They enjoyed it much more this time and so did we. It was fun to play in the snow which there was plenty of and go sledding. Josh and Jane could have been happy for hours throwing snowballs aimlessly. In addition to all the fun times in the snow, we enjoyed a few great episodes of HBO's Flight of the Conchords. (Highly recommended). We also watched a great documentary about a long standing Donkey Kong championship rivalry called The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters. This is seriously a must see! Go rent it or put it in your que today! Here are some pics from the trip.

So much snow

Mo Rocca

Last night I was hanging out at home with the kids while Camille was at Relief Society. A little after 7:00, I get a text from Chaz. He informs me that Mo Rocca is speaking at UVSC and it's free and it just started. So I text Camille to see if she would be coming home soon and she was so I was able to make it over to UVSC and catch the majority of his presentation. For those not familiar with Mo Rocca, he is a writer, comedian, and political satirist who has been a correspondent on the Daily Show with Jon Stewart. He is a regular on NPR's "Wait Wait Don't Tell Me" as well as a contributor to CBS' Sunday Morning with Charles Osgood. The bottom line is that he is super funny and I am a huge fan so it was such a treat to go hear him speak and pick up his book, "All the Presidents Pets." (On chapter 3 right now. So far so good) Here are a few pics from the event. Right after it was over, he hung around for a video interview with some of the student government. I listened in and snapped a few photos.

:: The Many Faces of Jane, & a Side Note ::

As to the picture below, this is all the crap that the kids managed to shove into the nooks and crannies of our treadmill and our weight bench. Bless their freakin' hearts.

:: Super Tuesday ::

If your state votes today, whoever you are voting for, go to it and make your voice heard.




I know I did!

The Jackpines

Hanging out with Branden at Muse Music watching our friend Jared's
band play some rock and roll.