Sox and Rox and Loaves and Fishes

Red Sox Domi-Nation

They did it! Not that anyone really doubted it, but the Red Sox swept their series against the Colorado Rockies. As much as I enjoyed watching the (blessedly) short series, I have to say that the memories will not be of Ramirez kicking his helmet and missing his chance to score, but of my children and their excitement over their home team making it to the World Series. Please enjoy some pictures of my kids showing their team spirit.


The kids were so excited to go to school on "Red Sox Day"


They wanted to get painted up for game three, too. Mommy said they could stay up "just a little more."


So they painted Daddy's face.


Mommy even got into the action.


When Trevor's paint wore off, it was time to go to bed.


Holy-ween

Our congregation tried something novel this year for Halloween--scripture-based costumes. Attendees of the annual ward Halloween party were encouraged to leave the goblins and vampires at home and use their imagination to come up with costumes that depicted something from the Bible, Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, or Pearl of Great Price.


Some of the costumes were low-key, but still creative. Annie Hill was the Red C. Hal A. Peño couldn't make it.


LIttle Caleb Andros made a cute Lazarus. He got the "Cutest Dead Person" award.


Those Jones kids, what are they supposed to be?


I'm not going to tell you, but I'll give you a hint--what could a family of seven dress up as? (Think New Testament.)

How do you sleep at night?

No, I don't use Ultradorm--although I do hear that you wake up without the tiniest hangover. There's only one way that I can get to sleep, and that's checking on my beautiful children.

So, please don't go conjuring up bad memories from The SIlence of the Lambs, but feel free to drift off to sleep on the slumber express as you gaze at my children in their blissful repose.


I almost always check on the baby first. (Gotta stop calling her that--she'll be two soon enough...)


Sometimes I have to thin the crowd on Natalie's bed before I can find her. She's very attached to her stuffed animals.


If I'm not sure Michaela is okay, I can always poke her--she never wakes up!


Anthony is a light sleeper, but that's okay, because I can usually hear him sawing logs from the next room.


Trevor never cooperates. He falls asleep facing the wall, and I have to hold on to the upper bunk and lean in to hear him breathe.

Publiciwhatty?

In the wake of JerK Rowling's revelation about the most powerful wizard in her magical Harry Potter book series, other authors who also know that focus has started to shift away from their literary works have come out of the woodwork to hold press conferences and grab back the limelight that they once enjoyed.

No doubt ruing the fact that he had not exercised the gay option before Ms. Rowling seized upon it in a wanton act of publicity, Mark Twain announced in a sparsely attended book reading of Huckleberry Finn that the work's title character actually enjoyed dressing in girl's clothes. Reaction from fans was mixed with a majority of prospective readers wanting Twain to have revealed Huck as an in-the-closet gay.

Not to be left out of the action, Jane Austen announced from a cottage on her brother's estate in Chawton, England, that she had always thought of Elizabeth Bennett as not really ever coming around to seeing Mr. Darcy's finer qualities, but as a brazen coquette who fell in love only with Pemberley, the luxurious Darcy family estate. Sales of the book have not improved, but all the women attending the cramped sitting room press conference cheered merrily and swooned at the thought of passing their days at Pemberley. Smelling salts were applied judiciously, and none of the women sought further medical treatment.

Other post-publication revelations from prominent authors following in the wake of Rowling's announcement:

• Odysseus wasn't trying that hard to get home, not really having enjoyed the idyllic family life in Ithaca.
  


• Clive Cussler, also having missed the gay boat, announced that he had written Sahara and other books with the thought in mind that Dirk Pitt and Al Giordino were actually long lost half-brothers, both unaware of there real ancestry.
  


• Fyodor Dostoevsky claimed that had always though of as Raskolnikov as a chronically-depressed dropout with financial issues. Disappointed devotees of Crime and Punishment were quick to point out that the author's statement held no surprise for them as all these characteristics of Raskolnikov are easily garnered from even a casual reading of the novel, and quickly dismissed the author's statement as hype intended to sell more copies of his book.
  

Musty Cupboard Fun

Aren't my kids lucky? While Tamara searched for the source of the musty smell that has invaded our kitchen, Trevor and Abigail took advantage of the empty cupboards.

Cookies in My Browser

Thanks to my friend, Angie, who passed on these quizzes in her blog. As I progressed through the first quiz, I began to have the sinking feeling that I would somehow be labeled as a peanut butter cookie. Now, before I get you peanut butter nuts up in arms, let me wave the white flag and say, "I, too, love peanut butter!" Unfortunately, as those of you who have been blessed to see my eating ritual can attest, I cannot eat indifferently just any peanut butter cookie--they can may me quite ill.

I'm just sayin', why couldn't it have been a snickerdoodle with raisins?



I can only say that I am redeemed by the second quiz that I took.



What flavors are you? Let me know.

Fallen Heroes

Late last month, a news item about a fire here in Worcester recently caught my attention. In an attempt to rescue a woman from the third floor of her burning home, twelve firefighters were injured, and eight were sent for treatment to area hospitals. The woman was pulled unconscious from the flaming chaos, but failed to regain consciousness as rescuers tried to resuscitate her.

I'm glad to report that there have been no more news items about the firefighters injured in last month's fire. It is most likely that they have recovered. I am relieved that none of them were more seriously injured. However, I am sure that these brave people were committed to rescue victims from the fire at all costs.

It is no surprise to any resident of Worcester that they have such a dedicated firefighting force. Our city has a history of valiant firefighters. Almost eight years have passed since the tragic Worcester warehouse fire of 1999. In an attempt to find and rescue some homeless people from a fire, six Worcester firefighters lost their lives.

So, though it is still some time until the official International Firefighter Appreciation Day, which is the first Sunday in May, I would like to personally pay tribute to all the brave men and women who put their lives on the line to save us from fire and other peril--not just those in Worcester, but the world over.



graphics from http://fallen-heroes.org/
and http://www.mdausa.org/news/030116stockseth.html

Castle on a cloud

As we prepare for Michaela's birthday tomorrow, I thought I'd give her a moment to shine. This video is Michaela singing at our ward's Primary Talent Show.



We had several people comment that Michaela made a good Cosette. Tamara and I are very proud of the effort that she put into preparing for her performance.

Striking a Pose

see the real blog at jeremiahrjones.com






Just so you feel reading this post has been worth your while, here are the most recent portrai of my beautiful children.

TLIF

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That's right, it's the last day of the workweek. [Actually, I started writing this more than a week ago.] I'm sitting here on the bus on my way to Clark, and finding that I have time to jot down some of the thoughts that have popped into my head lately. In fact, let's start with the whole "idea popping" topic.

A few days ago my long strides brought me up behind one of my Biochem students, who was poring over a book as she walked the hill from the library. This is the substance of the ensuing exchange:

"Jana, what are you so absorbed in that you would risk falling down the hill because your nose is stuck in a book?"

"Oh, I just had an thought, and I wanted to explore it."

"Ah... I know how that is--to get an idea and then feel the need to immediately think it through and find out more."

Have you ever felt that urge? Have you felt inspiration's electrifying fingers sorting through the fragments of past contemplation in your mind? Have you ever sat bolt upright as you drifted off to sleep and proclaimed, "Lightning has struck my brain!"?

I hope you have. I am learning more and more that I need to pay attention to the random but salient thoughts that seem to coalesce from the uneven cadence of everyday minutiae that stream through my head. Accordingly, I vow today to keep pen, paper, and flashlight (inspiration comes at night, too) closer at hand to answer my need of transcribing those thoughts, small and big, which Providence puts in my way.