It wAs a wiNteR OnEderlAnD...2010

a wiNteR OnEderlAnD it was....this past weekend we celebrated little M's big 1st birthday! we had a fabulous turnout with lots of friends + family! thanks to everyone who came to his party...he had a blast! it was so fun to see 8 little guys + 1 little girl play together + have lots of fun! ThaNkS aGain! here is a little sneak peek from the party!

Our LitTle ConDuctOr...mUsic + TraIn

Fall iN bLacKsbUrg :: 2010

mason :: {bustin' a gut + walkin' on sunshine}

just wanted to share a few pictures of M :: his 2 carved pumpkins...+...as SCOOBY DOO! we were sooooo excited to find a scooby-doo costume for M for his first howl-ween...it was the perfect fit...because he IS the scoobs (that's his nickname)! he went to the Purdy Baptist Church trunk or treat + got lots of scooby-snacks...yum:)

exciting news at the jones house...mason has started walking...he can walk about 15-20 feet without stopping! we are so excited + he LOVES to walk + he knows he is SO big when he does it. he also has a new thing where he grips his hand really tight + acts likes he squeezin' something really hard...we call it "bustin' a gut"...its hilarious - so we had to share it with you all... enjoy!

october {twenty-ten} :: family happenings

i am a little behind on updating our family blog...we have been a little busy recently with lots of fun + exciting things happening in our family. one of the biggest events...was the marriage of Kevin + Bracey this past weekend. our little M was the ring bearer..and oh boy...was he a handsome little lad.


and...a few weeks ago spent a long weekend at Nags Head, NC...it was a beautiful day + a amazing time with our family {much needed family time}. hope you enjoy these pictures!


oh!!! yes!!! and i have already started planning mr. m's BIG birthday...it's a winter ONEderland...we are celebrating on 12.11.2010...stay tuned...

A little {mason} sillyness

{mason + the pumpkin patch :: 2010}

I {momma} + mason spent Saturday afternoon at the pumpkin patch...it was a beautiful fall day + we had tons of fun!

{Mason} :: fall twenty - ten

{Mason} :: fall twenty - ten
One morning last weekend we {my son + i} were outside enjoying the beautiful cool fall morning! I heart Mason + fall!

WheRe hAs thE tiMe GonE...

WheRe hAs thE tiMe GonE...our little M will be 9 months old next week & we can hardly believe it! He is the absolute joy of our lives & makes us smile every minute. M is moving around lots...an avid crawler & occasionally attempting to stand on this own...although that one hand hold to the coffee table or cabinet comes in quite handy most times. He is in love with mama's spice drawer & the cupboard with all of my pots & pans. There is not too many times that you will walk into our house & not see an assortment of spices & cookware disbursed on the floor! He is so fun! His latest excitement the past few days is clapping...he has learned it & boy does he love it! So great! I just love how such simple things can make a child so happy {sometimes even hysterical}...I wish things that simple made everyone happy...how wonderful that would be. Mason & mama also have been spending lots of time at the pool {aka...jarratt pool} at our neighbors house...we love our afternoon swim and cool down from the summer sun! Oh yes, & the library, another one of our favorites!

Our family is doing well...busy as usual. We are hoping to make a trip to the beach around the 1st of October to have a little r+r, family time & celebrate our 2nd anniversary! So hopefully we can find a few spare days to have some fun! I just booked our plane tickets to MinNeSotA for Christmas {yes I said Christmas..I am a planner}. We will be spending Christmas this year with my parents in MN..the first in many years. I am really looking forward to it...& I think my parents are already counting the days down for the arrival of Mr. M. And YES...I have already started planning Mr. M's big birthday bash...w1nter wONEderland. I am really excited...its gonna be fun!

My newest/biggest adventure has been the development of a 'side' photography business {alexis jones photography}. I have always had a passion for photography, as many of you know...so I decided to finally take a big leap of faith & set out on this new journey. You can visit out my website @ {www.alexisjonesphotography.com} & my gallery @ {alexisjonesphotography.smugmug.com}. The gallery is mostly for clients to view their photos, but I do share a slideshow on that site. I am super excited & blessed to be embarking on this journey...this dream! Maybe I will see you in front of my lense :)

Andy is doing well...busy with work as usual...as he is in the midst of aerial spray season for work. He is looking forward to this fall when he can spend some time on the farm hunting...as it is one of his greatest passions & joys {after Mason, of course}.

Minnesota MASON!

Grandma's infamous red glasses!


At the zoo with grandma and grandpa Sandy!!!


Mason petting Yote (really trying to eat his ears), a sicilian donkey, at Pine Grove Park & Zoo!


Petting the baby calves at great grandpa Sandy's!


Playing in the grass and picking dandelion's.


Grandpa and Mason on Mason's Farmall Cub!


Mason at his pool party in grandma's kitchen


Mason and mommy traveled to Minnesota on June 10 to see grandma and grandpa Sandy! We flew from Richmond to Chicago to Minneapolis. Mason enjoyed his first plane rides, he was great! He loved the window, the air that blew from the ceiling and the people we sat next too (he kept them entertained)! Our flights went smoothly...and we landed in MSP at 3pm to meet grandma Sandy and great grandma Hallberg! Oh, were they excited to see their little man, Mason (oh... and mommy too, I guess)!

Since we have been in Minnesota Mason has been one busy little man. We had a nice visit with great grandpa Sandy and all of our great aunts and uncles; we have visited with grandpa and grandmas friends; went to Pine Grove Park & Zoo (where mommy use to work and we got a behind the scenes tour of 2 week old wolf pups from great uncle John - we also visited the petting stable where Mason wanted to eat Yote's ears (Yote is a donkey)); Mason had a pool party in grandma's kitchen (yes - we had a pool on the floor in grandma's kitchen - he had a blast); Mason rode HIS tractor with grandpa (a Farmall Cub) and the lawnmower; he visited grandma and grandpa's neighbors (they have baby ducks, baby calves, roosters, geese, etc. - Mason got to pet them all); we have gone for walks; WE ARE BUSY LITTLE BEES! We are having an absolute blast here in Minnesota vising family and friends. BUT I do think that grandma and grandpa Sandy are having the best time! They love this little man more than anything - And that's for sure! We are here in Minnesota until Thursday morning - we will then head to Stevens Point, WI to visit the Johnson family and a few of my friends. On Friday morning we will drive to to Ann Arbor, MI to visit Ashley and Josh. We will spend 2 days with them and celebrate grandma's birthday! On Sunday we will drive to PA (we are not sure where we will end up yet, but we will find a place half way to VA to spend the night and maybe do a little sight seeing). Then we will return home to VA on Monday afternoon! Grandma and grandpa Sandy will be staying with us (I mean Mason) for a few days before they head to NC, TN, and KY for a little vacation before heading back to Minnesota! Here are a few pictures from our trip to Minnesota so far (mommy has only taken a little over 500 pictures)!!! Enjoy!