Grandparents make the BEST BABYSITTERS!

While Cody and I were playing in Arizona, my parents got babysitting duty.  My kids love their Grandma and Grandpa Taylor!  When my parents babysit, they play games with the kids, have root beer floats, take them fun places, eat good food, etc.  Every time we called to check on them they were doing something fun.  I am glad we only ask them to babysit once a year 'cause I think we would wear them out!

Alec had a Suzuki cello event called "Federation" that they do every year.  The cellist plays 2 songs in front of several judges and they rate/critique the players.  Grandma and Grandpa took the kids up to the U of U to hear Alec play and then went to the museum afterwards.  They had a great time!

Yeah, this is usually how it is at our house...boil, boil, toil in trouble (that would be Matt)!

Alec got a Superior!  (which is the highest score you can get).  Good job, Alec!

When Cody and I got home we got to hear all the stories from the kids.  Emily thought Grandpa was hilarious.  He is pretty funny...here is one story she told me.  He had to sleep on our couch because we need a new mattress on our bed.  Our mattress has formed around the way Cody and I sleep (which is in the middle, so the sides are higher).  So he told Emily about how Grandma takes up too much room so he tries to sleep on the side, but then he rolls into the middle next to grandma, so then he gets too hot and sweats, and then he gets itchy...its just a nightmare!  Sorry, Dad.  We will have a new mattress for you next time.

Thanks grandma and grandpa!  The kids had such a good time with you.  We love you lots!

UPDATE

OOPS!  I haven't blogged since January!  While I would like to be able to give the reason that we have been doing nothing for 2 months, that is not quite the truth...I am just lazy.  Let me give you an update of what we have been doing the last few months (because I know you are just dying to know!)

1.  We have been skiing/snowboarding.  Matthew went off-track and we spent all my days off at Brighton.  Matthew is getting to be a champion skiier (for a 9 year old) and is perfecting his turning and trying to put his skis a little closer together.  He even tried the half-pipe and loved it until he hit a jump at the end and "had a yard sale".  Emily has made the transition to snowboarding and loves it!  Dylan and some of his friends have taught her well.  And, of course, Dylan spends every spare minute he has on the slopes.  He wows us with his tricks, jumps, speed, etc. 

2.  Dylan is planning his future and has gotten accepted into Utah State University!  He is getting very excited to go to college, live with friends and hopefully be able to work, go to school and snowboard in Logan next winter.

3.  Valentine's Day was filled with love!  Cody spoiled me, as usual, and bought me a Coach bag (so now I have two)!  I am so lucky to have him.  He takes such good care of me and is so sweet. 

4.  Our family time has been filled with watching American Idol together and, of course, The Office.  Thank heavens for DVR's so we can fast forward through commercials!  

5.  I have been working with my mom trying to get her family pictures put together into books.  They are finally coming together.  They are challenging and sharpening my photoshop skills.  I have absolutely fallen in love with digital scrapbooking!  NO MESS!!!  NO PAPER CUTTERS! NO GLUE DOTS!

So that is the Jackson world of 3 months summed up in a 3 minute read.  We are blessed with great kids who work hard at school and their extra curricular activities.  We have a great home that forces us to spend a lot of time together (because it is on the smaller side, we are forced into closeness).  Cody has a job that he loves in spite of all the traveling.  LIFE IS GOOD!

Spring Training

After the "busy-ness" of the Christmas season, I pretty much retreat into my cave and take a couple of months to re-coup...but spring is coming and I am BACK!  And there is just no better way to kick off the beginning of spring than to go to SPRING TRAINING!  Ahhh...my super white winter body relaxing in the Arizona sun...trying to stay sunscreened, but failing miserably...and watching me some baseball.  I have endured the baseball hiatus long enough so we went on down to Arizona for some sun and fun.  What is great about spring training is that the players are a little more accessible and it is fun to watch them practice.  And where else can you go where there is a line for the men's bathroom and not for the women's? Finally!

Here we are at the Dodgers/Rockies game.  (This was the last game we went to, and by this time I had gone to Target to buy me this dress...I was getting a serious farmer's tan from my t-shirts and that was not acceptable!  I also had to have a hat to keep the sun off my face...so while I would normally not be so fashionable...it was really functional!)  We went to 3 games: A's/Diamondbacks, White Sox/Rangers and Dodgers/Rockies.  Cody worked one of the days and I spent it at the pool... another one of my favorite things.  I am hoping that we will be back next year and maybe with the kids!