The Jones Girls

Last Thursday 7/16, I took the girls and Mindy to Coldstone Ice Cream.   It was all of the girls first time.   What makes Coldstone so special is you can choose from about 15 different flavors and then they have over 100 different toppings and you make your own creation.    So you tell them what kind of concoction to make and they mix it all together on a frozen slap right in front of you.

The girls had a blast picking out their own ice creams – especially Mindy.  She was so excited.

It has been so hot here, like 95 – 100 degrees so the ice cream outing was perfect.  Some friends of ours joined us – Corrie and her kiddos.

Yesterday I took the girls to Carino’s Italian restaurant in Whittier.   I had coordinated with the manager for the La Habra Mom’s Club kids to make pizzas, get a tour of the kitchen, meet the chefs and watch their pizza cook in a traditional brick pizza oven.

We had a separate room set up for us.   When we walked in, the tables had every pizza topping imaginable.  We had about 10 moms and about 20 kids. 

The kids went to work on decorating their pizzas.   They had some really neat designs going on!!  Then they walked their pizzas over the 2 chefs and watch their pizzas be put on a wooden board and slid into the brick pizza oven.  They watched as their pizza cooked.   While the pizzas were cooking, the manager gave us a tour of the kitchen, prep area and the cook area.    It was amazing.  

The kids sat down and ate their pizzas and were given any beverage of their choice in cute souvenir cups.

The moms ordered lunch and we had a great time too.

What a great day it was!!

Mindy spent the night with us Sunday night and was a huge help with assisting us in cleaning the hosue and getting ready for our trip back to Los Angeles.

I did 3 loads of laundy Sunday night, packed all of the clothes in the boxes. 

Mindy was a huge help Monday morning, vacuuming the carpets and helping me get the girls ready.    We mailed out the boxes of clothes att he post office.    We headed out at noon towards Boston airport.

We arrived in Boston, dropped off our minivan rental and checked in at the airport.  They advised us the plane was running a half hour behind.  Well that was much better, tell us before we board on the plane, and let us wait in the airport not on the plane for the delay.   

The flight went well.  The airline stewardesses got together and purchased me a little bottle of wine.    Now how thoughtful was that?  They said that I deserved it watching me entetain all of our 4 girls and keeping them quiet on the plane.

Sid our neighbor drove our minivan and met us at the aiport.   Our plane was supposed to arrive at 10pm but arrived at 11:45pm instead.    Long haul for all of us.

We were lucky enough to get re-acquainted with Cliff’s cousin, Doug.  He lives a couple of blocks from our house.     Doug brought over his girlfriend Sandy over so we could meet her.    This women is a true peach and I just love her.   

They both invited me to take a look at their beach that they had along a beautiful river in their backyard.   I was imagining this rediculous little swimming hole.  

Well, when i stepped onto their property, I was blown away.     They truly have a sandy beach the stretches out to the river.  They took me on a little nature walk and was I surprised when before me was the most beautiful water falls, right there on their property.    Totally cool!!    Sandy’s house was beautiful    Their whole property is just beautiful.   They invited us to spend the day at their beach the next day.

So on Sunday, the next day, Mindy, my niece, Grandma and Grandpa Belden joined us at Doug and Sandy’s Paradise Beach Resort.   I suprised the girls with shovels and buckets to play with down at the sandy beach.   They played with an innertube and we walked them through the water.  It was a truly amazing and beautiful experience.  

Then we had a cook out.  Sandy made this awesome homemade pasta salad that had us begging for seconds.   Doug is quite the barbecue guy and grilled up some amazing food!!   

We could have stayed all night.  Unfortunately we had to call it a day because the next day we were heading back to Boston to fly back to Los Angeles.  Gosh I had wished that we had met sooner and could have enjoyed other days at their Beach Resort during out time in VT.

Sandy and I have made fast friends and we have promised each other that when we are there, we will be spending some quality time with them on the Paradise Beach Resort.    We are also planning on them coming out to visit us in California for a vacation in February.

Thanks for a beautiful day Sandy and Doug!!

We were invited to our neighbor’s 1st birthday party for their baby girls Paige, AKA Squishy Cookie.   This baby girl is the cutest little thing.

The weather started out nice.   We had lunch at their house and the girls played in the yard with the other kids.  Then the looming dark grey clouds attacked our party!!   I mean really, the weather is so unpredictable in Vermont.    One minute the sun is out, the next minute it feels like you are in a crazy storm of the century.

So of course those huge boulder rain drops came upon us and in 2.2 seconds everybody ran for cover.   Thank goodness our house was next door.    It rained like the dickens for a few hours.    Then when it cleared up we ventured outside again.  Then at bedtime, around 9pm, the clouds came back and argued with anger as we heard the loud thunder and lightening for hours and hours that night.   There is nothing like a summer storm in New England.

Grandma and Grandpa Belden gave the girls some birthday money.   Cliff and I thought it would be fun for the girls to have their 1st trikes at the house and also for Savannah to have her own bike.   

So we went down to Walmart which by the way is about a 1 hour drive from our house.  Yep, we are in Mayberry my friends.   Anyway, we got the girls their trikes and Savvy a bike.

We took them home and Cliff got them all put together in about an hour.   Another thing that me me proud of Daddy Cliff.    The girls had a blast riding their new bikes.

Thanks Grandma and Grandpa Belden!!

On Monday July 6th my friends headed out back home to Boston.    Cliff’s sister, Teresa and her dad came over for a visit.   It was a short visit.  

Cliff offered something that all wives dream of.   He offered to babysit the girls so Teresa and I could go out for a pedicure and spend some time together.  I called Teresa and she came over in a flash.   Before I knew it we were on the road, just us 2 girls, laughing like 2 crazy women getting out of the psyche ward.   

We drove to the Rutland Mall and walked around.   We relaxed in a salon and had our pedicures done.  Then we ventured to KMart to get a birthday present for a neighbor whose daughter who was turning 1 year old.  

Then we had lunch and some super delicious alcoholic beverages…Mud Slides.  YUM!!  I think that was my favorite part…drinking…LOL!!

It was so nice to have some sister girl time with my sister-in-law.   We vowed that we are going to make this an annual tradition.  I love you Teresa!!