Keeping up with the Jones'

FAVORITE PHOTOS 2008

Sunset Beach, Cape May, N.J.

With Grandma Rae @ 1st Piano Recital

Cape May, New Jersey with Miggins' Family

Rye's Reward for Completing

Summer Reading Program

Witch Gabi @ Dance Rehearsal

Yikes!

Fun With Dad on the Tramp

Rye's Build-A-Bear Soccer Pal

No Reason--Just Dressin' Up!

Posin' After Donovan's StarWars Party

Boatin' in New Jersey

Beach Babies

Characters!

Bear Lake Sandcastles

Our Little Puppy

The Red Roses Soccer Stars

PINK!

Indianadonovan Jones After Scout Camp

Merry Christmas Everyone

We thought it would be eco-friendly (cheap) to do our Christmas letter on-line this year, so enjoy...

FUNNY STUFF

Donovan

• Loves Lego StarWars II and longs for a Wii. Is still an Indiana Jones and Ghostbusters fanatic. He is social to the extreme--on speaking terms with most of the faculty and studentbody. He really helped rebound for Junior Jazz this year and Coach "Dad."


• Recently directed a funny short film starring his friends Parker and Joseph and his brother (Shorty Mcpickle Head) and his sister (gun-toting, red-wigged assasin) entitled, "Wacky Newscasters."


• Survived his first piano recital--playing "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" and "La Cucuracha" for perhaps the millionth time.


• Still wants Mom and Grandma Rae to volunteer in his class--but no PDA!


• Donovan has imagination and smarts to spare and adds so much spice to our family.

Reilly

• Started Junior Jazz Instructional League this year and saved Dad and Donovan's last game by being there and playing tough "D" so they didn't have to forfeit. They went on to win the game--22 to 20.


• Rye is perhaps the huggiest kid in the first grade--well known by all of the cute first grade girls--dad takes credit for this behavior and Donovan rolls his eyes.


• Very proud that he can walk to and from school with his big brother and our neighbor, Sam. Rye is growing up to be a smart and sweet little boy.


• A great little soccer player, he loves anything creative, is reading chapter books at school, and wants a WALLE robot for Christmas and probably deserves it!

Gabrielle

• Recently turned five and partied with friends at her Puppy Party. No, she doesn't have a dog--just Snuggles the cat--but we think she may be part dog, due to her penchant for sniffing and an overdeveloped olfactory sense.


• Just learned to ride sans training wheels and will show off for anyone.


• Was a bewitching witch in her Halloween Dance Recital. Likes to put on Dance Class for one on a regular basis--for Mom, who has to call her "Miss Gabi" or else I don't get a star. (She's tough!)


• Has learned how to boss her brothers and any other kids in the vicinity like a real pro--I have no idea where she learned this appalling behavior?


• Gabi wants everything she sees on television for Christmas "Mom can you buy me that?" but will settle for something pink or sparkly. She is smart and sassy and mom's real buddy---in, sniff, her last year before Kindergarten.
  
  
  
  MILESTONES & HIGHLIGHTS
• Our first trip to Bear Lake was terrific. We camped with our friends the Kerrs' and all five kids really clicked. The kids built sandcastles to infinity. The adults relaxed around the campfire and although we got them for the kids, the grownups ended up hogging the wave runners--what a blast!


• Chris and I went alone to Snowmass, Colorado near Aspen for a conference and getaway few days--thanks to Grandma and Grandpa Jones. We rented bikes and enjoyed the trails there so much that we came home and bought bikes for both of us and a tandem bike that hooks on for Gabi. Imagine after 15 years of marriage--going on our first family o' five bike ride--awesome.


• We started the summer break by flying to Cape May, New Jersey--one of the great vacation spots ever--with the Jones' family (minus Matt and Misty due to their new twin babies.) From collecting "cape may diamonds" on sunset beach to digging massive sand pits to cooking lobster and clams in our beach house, to waveboarding all the way in--we did it all and loved it. It was the first time many of Chris's cousins from Pennsylvania met our younger kids and it was a great reunion for the rest of us.
  
• Our annual spring break trip to Palm Springs, we drove with Grandma and Grandpa Jones and traded off one kid every few hours--whew. We love to go there because it has a great waterslide and the kids can be entertained for hours--up and down, while mom and dad hang out in the pool below and fish them out occasionally. Uncle Mike flew in--red wig and all and truly entertained the kids.


• One milestone worth noting, is our first time at a non-cartoon movie--Indiana Jones--with all three children, where we actually all watched the movie. Proof positive that they really are all growing up.

We feel abundantly blessed with loving friends and family. We wish you all a very happy holiday and year to come and send you the warmth of our love, from our family to yours.

Chris, Kelly, Donovan, Reilly and Gabrielle