It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

Brett and I got a Christmas tree this year. I am so excited. I love Christmas time. Brett did most of the decorating, which I think he did a fabulous job. I'm so used to just random ornaments instead of actually having a theme and making the tree look pretty. I am very impressed by his tree decorating.


Putting on the tinsel.




Beautiful star.


Adding a few ornaments from my childhood.


Our first Christmas tree (couldn't afford one last year)


Family Christmas pic.


This is Ruti's model pose.


Can you belived Ruti will be 3 next month???


Gotta love those two!!!

Thanksgiving

This year for Thanksgiving Brett had to stay home in CS because of work and I went ahead to my parents house for the holiday. Brett did get to have a Thanksgiving dinner with his family the Saturday after words. Felt bad for missing that one too. Oh well. Below are pictures of the dinner table at my parents house. The food was way good. Our nieces, Ava and Sydnee, made the place mats and there was the #4 by each plate to remind us of what we are thankful for. Sweet girls.

Halloween Part 2

This has taken me a while to post. Sorry about that. Here is the rest of the our Halloween night. We went to the institute party and realized that we don't really fit in there anymore. Then we went to IHOP. Had good food but bad service. Don't ask. It was fun though.

50's gangster

50's gangster wife

Aren't we a cute couple???

Halloween 2009 Part 1

Here is my costume. I'm a 50's Girl. We are having a party at work so everyone in the office dressed up. I'll post more pictures as the day goes by.

Memories

Been thinking about my brother Jeff lately. Mostly because yesterday he would have been 28. I have a picture of him on my desk at work and was just thinking how he was such a good brother and friend to me during and after his life. So many good memories come to mind when I look at his picture and it just brings a smile to my face. I just feel peace when I think of him and know that he is in heaven working hard in the Lord's plan for us. Even though I still miss him, I know my life is better every day because of him. I know he is watching over us all. I am very grateful for the knowledge the gospel brings.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BRETT!!!

Saturday was Brett's birthday. It was a good day. People like him now, because people don't like those who are 23. (inside joke) We went out to dinner with 2 other couples on Friday night to Cotton Patch to celebrate and the food was yummy. The waitress new it was his birthday and they totally embarrassed him. It was fun. Saturday morning we slept in to about 11AM, that was nice, then drove up to Ennis to see Brett's family. Brett got a 12 gauge shot gun from me for his birthday and his dad and brother have a membership to a gun range in Ferris. It was my sister-in-law's birthday as well and so we spent celebrating by blowing away soda cans and boxes. Brett got to shoot his gun for the first time and loved it. His dad gave him a bunch of ammo and it is pretty much gone already. I had fun until I hurt my thumb. Don't want to talk about it, but I'm fine. Then we drove to Milford to see the Johnson's because they think of Brett as one of their own and their youngest Noah's birthday was also Saturday. We gave Noah a remote control Dodge Truck with a Hemi. He just loved it. Noah wanted a corn dog as a cake as well as hamburgers as a cake. They looked awesome and totally real. It felt weird eating what looked like a hamburger but the taste was cake. The Johnson's have pictures and I hope I can get a copy and once I do I'll post them. All in all it was a good birthday weekend. I just love my wonderful husband.

Hurricane Harbor

Brett and I got to go to Hurricane Harbor for free last Saturday. One of Brett's coworkers also works for McDonald's and they gave him two free tickets to Six Flags Arlington. He didn't want them so he took them to Kroger and gave them to Brett. We were planning on going in the first place, so it worked out nicely. We drove up to Dallas the night before and stopped in Palestine for a friend's wedding reception. It was fun and frustrating at the same time b/c we got lost. Oh well. The next morning we got a little slow start, mostly b/c Mom sold our old couch and chairs that Scott had to our neighbor and we had to get it out of the packed garage.

Once we got to Hurricane Harbor, it was fun. Apparently I still get really nervous with water slides and want to chicken out. Brett got me on a few and they were fun, but I am still not too sure if I'll do them again. We wanted to stay much longer, but the park closes at 6 and we did not know that. We got to play for at least 5 hours though AND we did not get sunburned thanks to Mary Kay's sunscreen SPF 30. Brett was skeptical at first b/c apparently only Bull Frog works for him and preventing sunburns. He is now a believer. Whoop!!! So everyone should try it. I sell it so just let me know if you want it!!

Aggie Colors Day - Sept. 4

This is an e-mail that I got today from the A&M Interim President - Be sure to wear Maroon on Sept 4.

To: Students, Faculty and Staff

As we prepare to kick off a new semester and another season of Aggie Football, a new Texas A&M tradition is about to be born – Aggie Colors Day on Friday, Sept. 4. This is the fifth annual College Colors Day event nationally, and I think it’s time for Texas A&M to join the celebration.

Therefore, I call upon you to put on your favorite Aggie maroon-and-white attire – T-shirt, polo, hat or maybe even a bowtie – on Sept. 4 and head to campus bleeding maroon. Also, please tell all your friends, family and Aggie fans everywhere to support Texas A&M by doing the same in their workplaces and schools. That certainly includes everyone in the Bryan-College Station community, who we hope will wear their Aggie apparel and join us in celebrating the unique relationship between Texas A&M and the local area.

College Colors Day, which is being conducted in partnership with NCAA Football, is celebrated by thousands of universities, colleges, organizations and businesses nationwide. It not only marks the kick-off of intercollegiate athletics, but it also helps increase public awareness of the importance of higher education, which is reason enough to don your Texas A&M gear and show your Aggie spirit.

Aggie Colors Day will help put the long hot summer behind us as we get ready to “fight for the maroon and white.” It’s going to be a great year, and this is an exciting way to start the fall semester. If anyone can make a statement through College Colors Day, it’s our tradition-rich Aggie community. In fact, I would be willing to bet that we can do it with more spirit – and more proud participants – than any other university in the country.

So please join me in making Aggie Colors Day an exciting new tradition here in Aggieland – beginning Friday, Sept. 4. And then join the 12th Man the following day as the Aggies kick off the 2009 season against New Mexico at Kyle Field.

Dr. R. Bowen Loftin ’71
Interim President

Ward boundary changes

Well, the stake changed the university ward boundaries on Sunday. The line used to be split down the middle of campus parallel to University Dr, down Texas Ave., and Holleman Dr. Now the line is University, Texas Ave, and Harvey. So everyone on Campus is in the CS University Ward. Thankfully Jenna, my cousin, lives north of University and so she is still in my ward.

July = Craziness

I guess I should update everyone on what's going on. Where should I start...

Brett is the Grocery Manager at the Rock Prairie Kroger. He is liking it, but it is harder than he thought. He also got a truck. It's a 2007 Dodge Ram 1500. It's gorgeous. We couldn't sell the Civic so when we realized that Brett and I needed another vehicle we got a truck. Brett started going to a chiropractor ever since we talked to Patrick who is in school (my brother's brother-in-law). Brett is feeling so much better and has convinced me to go. I feel a lot better two and was recommended to go once a month for an adjustment and a deep tissue massage and my insurance pays for it ALL (minus the copay). WHOOP!!!

My parents had a bad couple of weeks with medical stuff. Mom had minor surgery that turned into major surgery a week later and ended up staying in the hospital for 5 days. Dad had major surgery the day after mom got home and was in the hospital for 3 days. Thankfully I have such a wonderful job with paid leave that I was able to go up to Dallas for a week to help out. My brother Todd & his family also came up for a week. That was the most exhausting physically and emotionally week ever. But everyone is doing great!! I just hope they don't do that again.

Yesterday, there was a a chemical fire in Bryan that started around 11:45AM. The wind was blowing SSE and so several homes & business were evacuated. The line stopped right on University Rd and north, so campus was not evacuated but it did close around 4:15pm. The east boundary of evacuation was hwy 6 and so our place was not in mandatory evac. Brett happened to be on campus with the missionaries at the time I left the office. So we met up and went home in the truck. We picked up my car when Brett had to leave for work around 10:45pm.

Basically, the month of July was just one big exhausting month. We did get to float the Comal River and visit the Blue Bell Factory, however. Those were fun days.

Wedding and Birthday

We had a busy weekend. Friday Brett and I had the wonderful opportunity to witness the sealing of our two new friends Marvin and Erin. We met this wonderful couple at the beginning of the Spring semester and Brett was able to hire Marvin at Kroger. We got to see Erin only on the weekends (when she wasn't playing Army, she's in the Army Reserves) because she is still going to school at Sam Houston and lived in Huntsville. When there was time we hung out and had them over for dinner several times. Marvin and Brett are the ones who really became close friends. Marvin asked Brett about a week before the wedding to be one of his groom's men b/c his cousin had some unfortunate events and could not come. Brett was honored. It was a fun filled day, with a little drama, but in the end it was a wonderful wedding and we were both grateful to be apart of it.

Saturday we went to Waco where we celebrated the birthday of our niece Sydnee, who turned 3 on June 8. We had so much fun seeing the family and celebrating with Sydnee. She got some fun presents and the best was a slip-n-slide from Grandma (Grams) & Grandpa (PopPop) Blackhurst. This slide has a huge shark in which you slide through his mouth and it even has 3D goggles which make the teeth even scarier or cooler (however you look at it). The box was very scary looking and Sydnee just stared it for a while after opening and then finally said that she didn't like it. Her face was so precious and Grams felt so bad, but the family got a huge laugh out of it. Well, Syndee's older sister Ava asked Uncle Scott to set it up anyways and while he was Syndee was looking at the shark that he was blowing up and said "That's not a real shark!" and she was the first to slide through the mouth. She even wore the 3D goggles!

Even though it was a lot of driving this weekend it was so much fun. I don't have any pictures of any of it because I left my camera at my parents house, which I did get back from mom at the birthday party, but after all the festivities and right before we went home. I did take my film camera with me, but couldn't get it to work. Oh well.

What's new

Not much going on in the Jones family, expect that Steph just got a raise and Brett will probably be the official night grocery manager at the Rock Prairie Kroger within the next two weeks or so, thus another pay raise. WHOOP!! We are both loving our jobs and are so grateful that we decided to stay in Aggieland.

Well, the month of June is a busy one. We have birthdays, weddings, baby blessings, and service every weekend. Our house is feeling the pains of no one being home on the weekends to clean it. Our car is getting a workout too with all the traveling to Houston and Waco, but it is all for the people we love. We need our camera back (left it in Dallas) for all the fun stuff we are doing, plus I really need to update pictures.

My youngest niece on the Blackhurst side just turned 3 yesterday. She is such a love and growing up so fast. I am constantly amazed on how smart she is and her big sister.

We are praying for my mom and dad. They are having some health problems lately and we ask for your prayers as well. We also ask that mom's professor will lighten up so mom can graduate soon!!!

One year ago

I wanted to do this post on the exact date of a year ago, but couldn't remember the day (horrible memory). I found pictures and now know the date and the same even is a week later than it was last year so that threw me off. Oh well.

One year ago on May 10 I graduated from Texas A&M University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Meteorology. Time has flown by so fast. So where am I now after a year. Well, I'm a Business Associate at Texas A&M University in the Department of Mathematics. I only use my degree as the office meteorologist. Every time there is a storm near by they ask me to keep them posted, or they ask me what the weather will be like over the weekend or following week. I had my performance review yesterday and I past with flying colors and expect a raise within the next couple of weeks.

I am still married to most wonderful man in the world. We hit our one year mark in March and when we looked over that year we think that it was a really good year and not one of those horror stories that you hear from married couples about the first year of marriage. We still have no kids, but we still have Rutile (a.k.a. Ruti). She is such a love and likes to see if she can get away with things she knows she is not allowed to do. So she acts like a child sometimes.

Overall, I am one happy person. I'm happily married. I defeated college and graduated. I have a full-time job that I absolutely love. And I have my family, faith, and love of God!

Changes at work

My department finally hired a new person and her name is Codi. It has been really nice to have less stress with the amount of work I had to do. Now I don't have to worry about monthly payroll and the little accounting payments we have to do. I do feel like all I've been doing is just sitting and watching, but that's ok with me at the moment. However, she was at training all day yesterday so I was able to do a lot more and really cleaned off my desk. I even was able to pass on my inventory paperwork to be signed off, which means my part is done. WHOOP!!! Inventory is not fun.

For those of you who don't know what I do for a living, I'm a Business Associate I in the Mathematics Dept at A&M. I deal with Accounts payable, Travel, Payroll (now just bi-weekly), HR, and Inventory. My supervisor, Sharon, is the Business Coordinator. Codi and I do the same stuff thus with the same title. The university works with two research companies, if you will, called Research Foundation (RF) and Texas Engineering Experiment Station (TEES). RF uses the same accounting system as A&M, which is helpful if we need to do something with them, but our faculty should deal with them directly for payments and stuff. TEES is another story and I am the only person in the office who knows how to process payments, which is kind of cool and kind of not. I'm the only one, but it adds more work. Oh well. I truly love my job and I think it is an absolute blessing that I am here.

New job??

So Brett had a job interview with Kroger last week in Houston. They were interviewing 12 current employees trying to see who is ready to be promoted to Grocery Manager, which is still nights. The ordered the interviewees from 1-12 with 1 being the most ready. The Store Manager at Brett's current location talked to the guy that was interviewing and found out that Brett is at the top of the list, but didn't know the exact number. They are very impressed with Brett and are working on getting him promoted sometime in the near future. The only catch might be is that he might be sent to another store in the B/CS area or even Houston. So we are hoping and praying that he will be given a promotion, but also sent to the right store in which he can still go to school at Blinn and/or A&M.

Hmmmm

So I've been trying to figure out this whole blog thing and it is driving me crazy. I need to learn Html, that might help.

It's time

Ok, so I was looking at a couple of blogs yesterday and made the decision that maybe it was time for the Jones family to get started. So here it is and now I have to figure out how to use the blog other than just posting. Umm....