Keeping Up With The Joneses: Happy New Year 2015

Tomorrow is the most important thing in life. Comes into us at midnight very clean. It's perfect when it arrives and it puts itself in our hands. It hopes we've learnt something from yesterday.

John Wayne

We started out in 2014 knowing that our family would be growing by two feet.

We celebrated Seth's birthday lunch at an unusual restaurant where dogs are allowed. They had there dog with them so it was fitting but I was just hoping a cat would come in to mix it up a little and see how well behaved all the dogs were.

Kendra planned a fun family night of bowling and climbing three stories above the bowling alley.

Our little Hailey is no longer our little Hailey. She is really tall and has turned into a beautiful young lady. We always clown around at her birthday parties. This past year was no exception.

Austin showed us his flag football skills.

It only took Nathan a few months of playing with those large athlete glasses to figure out it was time to try some contact lenses. You won't see these on him anymore.

TJ played soccer the first part of the year. We have no trouble finding him on the field with those beautiful curly locks. Kendra says if he wanted to he could style it into the biggest hair you ever saw.

February brought our favorite family tradition where my dad and I go to the Auction. Horses, mules, wagons, buggies, antiques, you name it, they have it. You have to have an old-timer with you just to figure out what some of the items are. Always a fun time.

My Masonman Mike took me out for a birthday dinner. Looks like we were thirsty. A lot of glasses on the table for two people. I am so proud of him that he is no longer my Marlboro Man. He gave up smoking on December 31st of 2013. Still no smoking one year later.

Celebrated Rhi's birthday at her favorite Mexican Food Restaurant.

Rhi's little baby bump is starting to show more everyday.

March brought the Ahwatukee International Chili Cook Off. Great food, carnival and special guests from California. When Len and Dan come to Arizona we go on a new restaurant search. This one is Portillos. It's a place out of Chicago that specializes in Chicago style hot dogs. Great food. We were thinking of Papa Gary when we were here because we know how much he loved a good hot dog and hamburger.

Family dinners at some of our favorite places.

We found this on our front porch one morning. We bit into the cupcake and the color was blue. Here comes a baby boy. Rob and Rhi are always so clever.

2014 brought be a brand new shower. Mike did a great job on it. This picture doesn't do it justice. Couldn't figure out at first why Mike won't use this one, then it hit me. He doesn't want to squeegee the new glass doors.

Little Red Ryker started tackle football and turned out to be quite the little player. Tougher than he looks.

Off to another horse show with my dad. He loves ice cream and he especially likes it when it was churned with a John Deere.

My Casey was a sick boy. Still a mom and he is still my youngest. Never changes. He had a full recovery from whatever the nasty viral infection was.

Anisha made a delicious banana dessert. Every time she cooks I think of how far she has come. When she got married she didn't really cook at all. Now look at her. Miss Crocker.

2014 brought lots of new teeth. There was a suggestion to serve blue punch at Rhi's upcoming baby shower. Notice Dakota's lips. This was my example picture of why you don't serve blue punch to anyone.

Kendra sent this to us because it is sooooo true for this family.

May took us to my cousin Susan's home in Wilcox, Arizona. She has a spring festival every year, Fiesta de la Primavera. We first visited the town and then went on to her house. She is located in the middle of all the wineries in that area. The store above is said to be the oldest store in Arizona.

June took is to Las Vegas to see the Broadway Musical "Book of Mormon". It's by the creators of South Park and it is a non-stop laugh fest. My friend and I saw the sign and had to go find out why someone would name their kiosk Big Balls. That's what it was. Big balls.

May also brought Hailey's Middle School Graduation.

Summer brought Little League Baseball and Nathan was able to join the Ahwatukee league.

Nathan also made the All Star Team. It brought back memories of when Brian played many years ago in the All Stars for the same league.

Mamie made a surprise visit out to see Nathan play during the All Star games.

Our Anniversary included a celebration with our friends who all share our same anniversary date.

While cleaning this year we came across the cake topper from our wedding reception. Yellowed, but still cute.

Our Annual Fireworks show was ruined by the dust storm that decided to start the monsoon season that evening.

Rhi had an over the top Pinterest Baby Shower. She won't have to buy diapers or clothes for months.

Ever since Dakota found out Rhiannon was having a baby, all of her Barbie dolls are also with child. She would stuff tissues under their evening gowns. She wanted help creating a laptop for her Barbie so I asked her what would you like her searching for on the Internet. Of course she said shoes. Notice the red high heels. Typical Barbie, no job, no husband, pregnant and still shopping for shoes.

August brought the arrival of Tanner Michael Litecky. The maternal-child nurse in me never stopped worrying but everything turned out perfect. He his big and healthy.

Papa is sure proud of his boys. Austin is really happy to have a little brother. We will ask him in a year when his little brother is in his room going through his things.

Mamie was able to come out and meet her great-grandson soon after he was born.

Watch out now. Nathan turned 13. Teen years are upon us.

Fall brought Chuck walking his daughter Nikki down the aisle.

He was so happy and proud that day.

Chuck and Gina

Chuck's grandsons sure look like our Dad's side of the family.

Who brings a dog to a wedding? Really?

The October Haunted Hayride was as scary as ever. This year Hailey participated as one of the scary characters.

TJ continued to work hard all season.

Ryker's team made it all the way to the playoffs. They had the privilege of playing the full ASU field. What an experience for these kids.

The field is named after the legendary ASU coach Frank Kush. It's ironic that Kendra lives in his former home.

Ryker's team took the championship title and an amazing undefeated season. 11-0

This year brought something I had hoped for and I think it was fate. It was meant to happen. I have thought about this little guy for many, many years and have not seen him since he was about three years old. Kendra and Brian were very close to him growing up. This is one of the few pictures I have of him and Kendra. There is something to be said for social media. We were able to reconnect with my nephew Dustin.

Dustin was able to reconnect with his brother, his grandfather, and his cousins. It was tearful, joyful and downright awesome.

November brought Austin turning 8. He had a Lego party.

Leave it to Mike and Anisha to play with the party decorations.

Phoenix had the 100 year flood and caused havoc for a while. This is the ranch days after the rain. Freeways were flooded and our house was kept dry only by the hard work of Mike and the boys.

This is the kid's playground for weeks after.

I know it's a little weird and takes time to explain but my mother's side of the family also had the surname Jones. Don't worry, Mike and I don't share the same gene pool. 2014 marked over 150 years of Arizona history for my family so I felt it was time for a family reunion.

Chuck is so proud of his heritage that he has a license plate that says 5th generation Arizonan.

Tanner won for being the youngest family member to attend.

Nikki and Aaron won for the newest married.

Alice won for the most grand kids and Lily won for the oldest to attend. She beat her cousin out by one month. Lily is one of the most loyal ASU fans I know. I don't think she has missed a football game. Notice she is wearing the ASU colors. After the reunion, she was off to a game. Not bad for 86!

Wouldn't be a party without a pinata.

We were so glad all the cousins could see each other.

The park where the reunion was held has a Blue Star Memorial which Mike and Mikey helped build. Blue Star Memorials are all over the United States to honor our veterans and we are lucky to have one right in our community. We have bricks to honor them and I bet you know a few of these guys.

November brought the opportunity for me to participate in one of the first critical care conferences of it's kind. We have one of the largest simulation centers in the world and it was so successful that we will be doing it again in 2015.

Seth's birthday is in November so Kendra had a surprise birthday party for him in December. Having it a little later made it an even bigger surprise. It was a great party.

December also brought the premier of Casey's skateboarding film. He had a huge turnout and his film study Professor from ASU even showed up.

When the weather cools off it's time to catch up on some work. Mike painted the house this year.

Tanner enjoyed his first Thanksgiving. Believe me, he doesn't like to miss a meal.

It's funny how a smell, a song, or an object can bring memories rushing back. Every time I use my mother's turkey roaster I think of her and miss her. She made many a turkey in this roaster.

We don't need our tree to be a fancy show piece. We like to put on the ornaments the kids made when they were small. The tree topper was from Casey when he was 8 years old. It's the cutest snowman with pipe cleaner arms you ever saw. The best and funniest is the Nativity scene made with toilet paper rolls. How could you ever replace something like baby Jesus in a toilet paper roll manger?