Memorial Weekend

On Sunday we had our customary dramatic spring storm with booming thunder, pouring rain, tornado warnings,

and hail

but no tornado, which is good, since some people were out enjoying the kerfuffle.

The sun reappeared quickly, making drying up a snap.

We finally got around to the celebratory birthday lunch for Stan on Sunday.

Guess who helped me pick out the cake??

Hailey got a bit too close and comfortable with the cake. 

Guess which side of the cake I want my piece cut from?

Oh dear. That side of the cake I was requesting? It may have a little spit on it. Please hurry, Stan, while there's still a piece of cake left that's worth requesting!

Happy birthday, Stan!!!!

Makayla demonstrating how to say "I love you too" in sign language. Hmmm...it's probably a good thing we aren't depending on signing for that message.

On Memorial day, Stan and I visited the cemetery

and the grave of Stan's Grandpa and Grandma Jones. Grandpa Jones was a WW I veteran and this cemetery marks each war veteran's grave with a flag.

Their grave is in Sunset Cemetery on Central.

It's nice to see all of the decorated graves on Memorial Day.

We also visited the grave of Stan's Uncle Que, killed in WW II. Uncle Que's grave is across the street in Mountview Cemetery, also on Central Avenue.

The End

This is the time of the year for endings. Hailey's soccer season ended this week, and she was assigned to bring treats for that final game. Say it with me: "There is no irony in ending each sports game with a sugary treat." While it makes me cringe to provide dessert after an hour of good, old-fashioned exercise, the Joneses aren't going to be the ones to provide carrot sticks to the team expecting cookies--especially at the last game. Makayla and Hailey helped me make pink frosted cupcakes.

 

I don't think there's more than, oh, a tablespoon of saliva on each of these little beauties. We did wash our hands first.

Here they are--cute little teeth-rotters, ready to pass out to the team!

Our next end was actually not the last of Makayla's hot dog. Nope--that's just the end of her lunch while waiting for Hailey's end of the year school program.

Hailey's class began by reading a cute poem in unison,

using lots of expression.

It's always bittersweet to go into a first grade room and watch these kids. Amy and I took turns joining them on Fridays to listen to them read individually throughout the year, and I couldn't help but think of Mom's first grade, of how much she loved and enjoyed her students.

After the group reading, they did another little reading in smaller groups. It was delightful.

Afterwards there were cookies and lemonade. Look how sweet Hailey has her arm around Makayla, waiting for their turn to be fed.

Hailey has a wonderful teacher-Mrs. Leffler. She played basketball with Shelly, although she graduated with Scott, I think. Her mom was Scott and Shelly's preschool teacher. Mrs. Leffler has been a excellent match for Hailey. She took all of Hailey's quirks in stride, and genuinely seems to like her.

Only one more week of first grade, Hailey, then HELLO SUMMERTIME!!!!

A Geneology Lesson: Who ARE These People???

Recently Grandma Jones turned 87. We gathered as a family, and everyone provided something for a meal. I made a cake, and Kent brought the gently used candles we just burned for Grandpa. So thoughtful of them to be basically the same age so that we can reuse the candles.  We got a good chuckle out of Grandma, who kept switching the candles around, making herself 78 instead of 87. 

Heads up- that's not going to work so well next year.

Some family members had these great pictures I haven't seen. Here's Grandpa rockin' a cute Prince Valiant haircut with his little brother, Thatcher.

The baby in this picture is Grandpa's Aunt Della, and the toddler is Grandpa's mom, Zetta Grace.

Della and Zetta, a little older.

This cute family is Grandpa's grandparents, Elizabeth and Charles Grace, Mom Zetta, and her baby sister Della.

A four generation picture--Stan's grandma Zetta, her mother Elizabeth Grace, Elizabeth's mother and grandmother. I'll have to do a little research and track down names.

Here's Stan's grandma Zetta Grace Jones in high school.

Stan's grandpa Enos Jones, who is married to

this more mature Zetta Grace Jones.

Some of Zetta and Enos' children: LaVar, (grandpa) Edward, Grace, and Thatcher.

Grandpa Jones during WWII

Nick! I've found your clone! Can you believe how much this picture looks like Nick!?!

The baby in this picture is Craig. Craig's father Que, who is Grandpa's older brother, was shot down and killed in WWII before Craig was born.

This is Grandma and Grandpa's wedding invitation. Grandma's doctor/dad was a well-known and highly respected veterinarian.

 Here is the announcement in the Billings Gazette. Gotta love all that detail about what the bride was wearing, but not a word about the groom's nice suit.

Birth announcement for Cliff, pegging Stan as "rowdy"...

...which he later demonstrated in this Christmas card. Rowdy Stan is the one hanging from his knees.

Finally, someone had a picture of these mystery people. They look vaguely familiar, but I just can't  quite remember how I know them.

 Anyone know who they are? Anyone? Anyone?
 (Happy Birthday, Stan! The years have hardly changed you!)

Thanks to Konni (and cousin Craig) I've got several more pictures of several more generations. I'll post them later.

Good-bye And Hello!

OUR GOOD-BYE

This is Makayla's last week ever, ever at Head Start. Although she is not going to Kindergarten in the fall, she has done two years at Head Start, and that's all you get!! Makayla's birthday is September 6th and the school deadline is September 10th, so technically, she COULD go to Kindergarten. She is certainly smart enough. She knows her colors, can count to a zillion, write her name, and read simple books. HOWEVER, Makayla still can't get her pronouns right (no her can't!) and she is generally very young for her, well--very young age. She's going to a different preschool in the fall.

On Wednesday, she had her end of year school program.

No one ever says, "Hmm. I wonder what Makayla is feeling." Nope. Makayla is pretty adept at letting you know. 

 

Most of my pictures from the day look like this- a blurry ball of wiggling enthusiasm.

Here she is-getting that all-important diploma from Teacher Dana. 

Makayla was so excited, she even managed to down some celebratory cake--and didn't even notice it wasn't cantaloupe or tomato flavored.

There's Momma!

One of their last projects was to make a poster about their family. Recognize the pictures? I donated several Friends magazines to the cause. Not to mention how Megan got married so that Makayla had a cute picture of her family in matchy clothes.

OUR HELLO!

Remember how Stan sneaked moved out of this building in the middle of the night two years ago? Well, he's moved right back in. This time he moved during daytime hours. 

Yep, Stan's office has moved back to the First Interstate Building, a mere one floor below his old firm-that-shall-not-be-named office. His office is expanding--new brokers are coming, and they need a bigger space. 

This will be great!! He can run into all of his favorite old firm-that-shall-not-be-named people on the elevator again!  That won't be weird, right??

The office is so new they haven't had time to vacuum the carpet underneath the new office sign.

I'm assuming at some point these pictures will be on the walls and clients will be in the chairs.

This is the office Stan wanted, but there's apparently a bigger fish that will shortly be occupying it.

Here's the office Stan gets. He still has great views, just right for watching storms blow in. Stan's current office has two brokers and a secretary. They will shortly have 3 more brokers. Happy moving and growing, Stan!