Crown Royal Christmas

Christmas is in full swing here at the Crown Royal. 

Happiest of birthdays, little brother. Love you so much! Aren't we so lucky to have Ben around?! 

#CrownRoyalChristmas

Oh, and all those gifts? Empty. Don't they look like the greatest though?!

Here are all your submissions for favorite family traditions. Hope you enjoy them as much as Dad and I did. We love you all, and are so grateful to call you family. Natalie's are what she told me over the phone.

Natalie

1. Tradition book

2. Christmas blanket

3. TV shows – Christmas Easter Halloween

4. Fathers blessing at start of school

5. Nativity

6. Family council – I tried to make it last longer and longer

7. Dad driving me to piano every Monday for a 30 minute drive in Germany

8. Family prayer Christmas morning and walking down youngest to oldest

Bryan

1. Lucky Charms

2. Creamed eggs on toast

3. Christmas Eve nativity

4. Favorite food for birthday

5. Games on New Years

Steph

1. Creamed eggs on Toast at Easter

2. Acting out the Nativity on Christmas Eve

3. Mr. Lucky bringing Lucky Charms for birthdays

4. Thankful basket

5. Getting scriptures at 8

6. Playing games on New Years Day

7. Family dinner every night

Becky

I'm remembering a lot of traditions that have negative connotations with them for some reason ;) I guess I must have been fun to raise:

 - writing down a phrase 100 times

 - shutting my door 10 times quietly

 - getting my mouth washed out with soap

 - hot sauce on my tongue

 - playing my piano songs 3 x each 3x a day

 - 30 second warning piano playing from mom...

For some reason, those weren't my favorite though. it's hard to differentiate the traditions that were my favorite from the ones that I'm most grateful for, but I think the older I get the more those two align and the smaller the gap in between gets.

1. Taking turns bearing testimony of Christ on Christmas Eve

2. Mom/dad "interview" on your bed. (if you think about it, we stopped doing those "interviews" when i was like a sophomore in high school...well, i don't remember them after that -- but still to this day at 11 or 12 at night you are both fighting to have us all get off of your bed and stop talking to you so you can sleep. :) hmm, must have worked)

3. Mr. lucky

4. Coming down the stairs and opening presents from youngest to oldest

5, Having to wake you up every night when we got home and we were already asleep to tell you about our day (again, you created monsters. :))

6. Camping (I'm pretty sure that used to be a tradition we had in our "book")

7. Creamed eggs on toast

8. Consistent family prayer, scripture study and family home evening (watching Natalie sleep was priceless - I'll forever treasure it)

9. Daddy daughter dates - I only really actually remember one, when I went to Disney on ice with dad. But I also remember that he went to every single soccer game, event, or tournament that I ever had - we did a lot of bonding then, with each other and Odell.

10. "Quiet time" - we had the most fun times together during that hour you locked us away :). In Oregon and Germany is where I most remember it - hours of playing "store" - special times I remember getting along with/loving my siblings.

I tried to think of a tradition that you fostered growing up that allowed us to, 15 years later, all become best friends. I guess it wasn't any specific one - but all of them together. I'm grateful for every tradition you both ever encouraged - it's led to my having 5 of the greatest best friends anyone could ask for.

Ben

1. Family Road trip to Utah

2. Christmas morning

3. Reciting a scripture every day

4. Family council

Heather

1. Family prayer in the morning

2. Family scriptures study in morning

3. Gathering on parents bed on Christmas morning(doing prayer and scripture before we go down)

4. Delivering cookies as a family, but the best part was singing songs and listening to Delilah in the car

5. Putting up Christmas decorations the Friday and Saturday after thanksgiving

6. Making goodies together for thanksgiving and Christmas

7. Eggnog in equally divided cups

8. Summertime: have to walk for an hour and read for an hour before anything else

No other traditions were kept because I am the youngest child and I got the short end of the stick.

Keeping Up With the Jones

Thanks Becky and Heather for spearheading the effort to get the family blog up and going.   They’re both great ideas, and so we’re combining the best from both and finalizing the family blog.  We love the scripture about Christ and also of course love Elton John but we would like the blog to be called,  “Keeping up with the Jones”.  We still plan to regularly look at your individual blogs, but this one is particularly, as Becky said, “to keep the love alive,” for our immediate family (Sir Jeffrey Jones and the gang).  We loved the family devotional at the beach house.  We hope that this blog is a place where all can continue to share thoughts, experiences and testimonies.  As Heather mentions in 2 Nephi 25 :26,  “We rejoice in Christ… That our children may know to what source they may look.”   We second the motion to share fun stories, tear jerkers, spiritual insights and experiences.  We love seeing you, hearing from you, talking to you and look forward to seeing your contributions on the blog. 

  “I have no greater joy, than to hear that my children walk in truth”.  3 John 1:4. 

Love, Mom and Dad

Steph helped me figure out how to post on it so watch out.  Dad and I are ready.  I have done what Becky suggested and made it a book mark at the top of my page.   Becky can you change the title,  I can't figure that one out.  

Starring Mom's Nutcrackers

San Jose

Just like me, they long to be close to you.

ALERT! Here is what everyone has been waiting for, our very own family blog!

We decided to do this at the family reunion, remember?! :) I know you've all been waiting on the edge of your seats, wait no longer. 

I have created it/put the very first post up. This is meant for any and all things you would like to share: fun stories, emotional rollercoasters, tear-jerkers, when the next body building contest is taking place (thanks, Steph), spiritual insights/experiences, etc.

My only request is that everyone look at it at least once a month...that's all I'm asking. Bookmark it RIGHT now. And also, post every once in awhile (once a month or even every other month, you get the idea). It's not meant to be a burden, but a fun thing to keep the love alive. I'm getting sappy...the post is almost over, don't worry. Heather, instead of texting us a picture of a Christmas tree that's sitting on your kitchen table, post it on the blog. I have a feeling you'll be the WORST at participating, James might give you a run for your money though. I've got my eye on you two.

I'm not afraid to be annoying, but I won't be obnoxiously annoying. If I haven't heard from you/seen any trace of life from you on the blog for a span of 3 months, you WILL be contacted (I'm a little concerned with Natalie and Kathleen, seeing as how POORLY they've have been doing at keeping their own blog current as of late - it's fine, I don't love you any less). Stephanie, way to go!

Love you all a lot,

ReBecky

I thought it only fitting that the first post include our favorite family song:

Friends, I can't wait to see the gems that will appear on this blog. 

And it's only fitting that the post end with: