The Jimenez Family

For Valentine's Day, several families got together at our house to play some silly games...

eat some yummy snacks...frost some scrumptious cookies...

exchange sweet Valentine's day cards...and have a FABULOUS time!!!

The house was full of kids of all ages...and laughter of all different sounds.

It was fun to watch the kids play a photo scavenger hunt...

and try and feed each other conversation hearts.

We are SO grateful to have so many different families join us on the homeschooling journey.

And I am so thankful my kids have such great friends to enjoy these fun parties with!

Later that same week, we celebrated two very precious little ones.
Lily Rutherford, who is two months old and sweet as can be.
And Caroline Turner, who is about to make her entrance into this world.

My friend, Suni, did an AMAZING job putting together a book-themed shower.

The decorations...the food...the games...and the favors were all based on beloved children's books.
It was so much fun and VERY creative.

The girls had a good time playing the different trivia games..and the adults had a fun time reminiscing about childhood favorite stories.
It was a beautiful time spent with some very special people.

Jackson loves football.

He talks about it.

He thinks about it.

He plays it any opportunity he gets.

He prays about it.

He dreams about it.

He LOVES the game of football.

Every afternoon - rain or shine...warm or freezing...Jackson is headed out to the backyard to play his game of football.

He would prefer to play alone first - that way he can get in a full "game" without interference.

If his brother comes out to play or a neighborhood friend...Jackson grudgingly allows them to join him.

But in the back of his mind he knows exactly what play he was on and what the score was - so he can resume it as soon as possible!

He knows every single NFL team there is - and he knows almost all of their quarterbacks.

At any given point, if you were to step outside during one of his "games", you would hear his running commentary of what was happening in the game.

He runs, He passes. He fakes to the right.

HE SCORES!!!

Jackson has been playing football in the backyard for as long as he has been old enough to walk.

This season though...he is practicing on a real team.

With real flags.

Real cleats.

Real mouth guards.

And real players.

He is over the moon!

He has ramped up his afternoon backyard practices and is super excited for his first game this weekend!

I love being a Jimenez,,,obviously, I love my husband...but with him came the blessing of his family.

And what a FUN family they are!!! :-)

We spent a few days with Jason's parents before Christmas...and they were filled with fun things to do.

We went to a Bethlehem Marketplace...

one of the churches in town had gone all out to create a reenactment of what Bethlehem looked like (smelled and sounded like too!) on the night Jesus was born.

The kids were able to visit different stations and meet potters...carpenters...farmers...bakers...toy makers, etc. At each table there was a Bible verse printed on a card...the kids collected Bible verses from the Old and New Testament about Jesus throughout the entire evening.

Then the lights dimmed and we watched Mary and Jospeh and the entire Nativity story unfold!

Afterwards, we snagged a Roman guard and a rabbi to come take a quick picture :)

Right around the corner was a pizza place Jason and I used to go to growing up...

and sure enough it was exactly the way it was back then...AMAZING!!!!

The kids had SUCH a good time at their grandparents house!

Poppy (Jason's dad) had recently gotten a dune buggy and most of the time we were there...the kids were outside adventuring through the desert.

But Amy was also fascinated with following around Poppy and Grammie - helping them with their garden and filing away little tidbits of information for when she one day has her own!

The next night was Christmas Eve...and since we were in town...we were able to share in the annual Christmas dinner with the entire family!

After dinner, we headed to Winterhaven...

...an entire neighborhood decorated with Christmas lights.

It was cold for Tucson weather...but it was a fun, beautiful night!!

The next morning we were greeted by Santa...er...Poppy!!! :-)

The kids wasted no time digging into their presents...

and quickly playing with them...

or showing them off!!

We were SO thankful to be in town this year for Christmas to see Grandma Jimenez!!!

And Jason was especially thankful for a bowl of her steaming posole!!!

Christmas also gave us the wonderful present of a broken van door!!

We were loading up to head to another house on Christmas day, when it just fell off...literally!

Thankfully we were able to get it back on temporarily until we could get it to the shop.

(SO glad it happened when we had the help of family...and NOT while I had been travelling!!)

After Christmas, the kids and Jason spent several days out with his parents while I was in California.

I heard that there was A LOT of fun that happened in those few days!!

The kids went hiking through the desert (with the cactus to show for it afterwards!)...

lots of hot cocoa drinking...and cookie eating...puzzle making...craft creating...and precious memory making!!!

While we were in Tucson this time...Jason really wanted to take the kids out to see his mother's memorial.

It was a special time for us to remember her...to thank God for her life and the legacy she left through her children...and also to reflect on the blessings God has given us for right now.

On the day that the girls headed off to sip tea and eat scones...the boys went to the Pima Air Museum!

This is one of the largest air plane museums...with more planes then you could possibly see in a day...from all different eras!

Most of them are planes used during World War II...but they also have the biggest planes...smallest planes..and even space ships!

Needless to say, the boys had a blast...and of course...Poppy made it even more fun by just being...Poppy! :-)

We had such a good time with our family in Arizona...soaking up their love and creating so many precious memories.

It was a blessed time and we hope and pray that the road was made shorter by travelling...and that it will soon be traveled once again!

Between the two of us, Jason and I have been blessed with a lot of family!

Going home to Tucson means trying to make sure we get to spend time with all of them...if we can!

Sometimes it works out just right...and sometimes it flies by too fast.

No matter how hard we try...or how good our intentions...or how well organized we try to be...there is still only 24 hours in a day!!!

Since I had a few days before Jason got to AZ, my cousin came down from California to see us.

The kids LOVE spending time with Zana!

And of course, I do too :-)

My sweet Daddy...even though he was coming down with the flu...

walked all the way to the park with us.

And then challenged the boys to a football game!

You wouldn't have known it to watch him that he was even feeling a bit sick.

But I think he did "let" the boys win that round!

There are definitely a lot of memories that we made while out in Tucson...

but I think what I loved the most was just being together.

Sharing a meal together...listening to a funny story...

watching the kids interact with their grandparents...

being able to hear my dad sing in the choir...

watching the cousins play

and play...

and play!!!

My older brother's family came down from Bullhead...

and my younger brother's family came out from Philadelphia...

so there were A LOT of kids running around...

my parents spoiled ALL of their grandkids!!!

One morning we decided to take the girls to go see Annie...

which kept them completely entertained :-)

Then afterwards, they all crammed into a photo booth for a quick photo shoot!

Too soon it was time to say goodbye to both families...

as they headed home - I headed to California to see my grandmother.

I had a WONDERFUL two days with my family in California...talking...eating...laughing...reminiscing...and storing up some very precious moments!!

My grandmother is so very special to me. I wasn't sure if I was going to be able to see her on this trip...but being so close was just too much of a temptation for me!

I am so thankful for the quiet moments sitting on her bed...talking about times past...lessons from God...and just rehearsing all of the blessings God has given us.