McKell is Born and We Play D&D

As may have been posted all over the internet in facebook, twitter, email, and other means of electronic messaging, McKell Joan Jackson was born today. Thus making her the first grandchild and first niece on Jameson's side. So we dropped by the hospital on Thursday morning and took a few photos for memories sake. She is pretty darn cute. So here you go:

Here is Jameson and Debbie fawning over the baby. I would like the say that Jameson was a natural at the baby holding thing and he loved it. The truth is that this picture gives him way more credit than he deserves.

Beth might kill me for this picture, but I am fairly sure that she doesn't read my blog. So I feel much less guilty. Here is Beth and Parker both looking very tired as the baby was born super early and everyone was trotting in throughout the day and night to check out McKell.

For the first little bit, Cloie wouldn't have anything to do with her little sister. Here is a photo of the first time we got her to hold her little sister. It's pretty sweet. I understand that she doesn't have the not touching her sister problem anymore.

And here I am. Just so we are all aware, holding nieces and nephews is all the baby photos or talk that anyone is seeing from us in a long time. Am I clear? (This means we are happy when other people are pregnant, but don't plan on seeing a suspicious bulge in my tummy for the next while)

So I am sure that many of my faithful readers are hoping that I also have pictures of this next bit. I want to point out right now that I don't and for good reason. We came to be involved in a game of Dungeons and Dragons through a twisted chance of fate involving Reverend Robbi Richardson and my insatiable love of fantasy novels. Inevitably, we were coerced into this ultimate of all nerdy endeavors. And it was a BLAST!! It was a little long, but loads of fun. I can see why it is so addicting. Not that I want to play every day, but it was fun. My character is a super awesome Gnome names Gillian Wolfsbane. She has a Wolf named Nightrider. He was pretty tough. Anyway, it was a fun little way to cross a life experience off the list. Next? Sky Diving!!

Good Movie to Watch: Tangled -- I love it. Especially . . . all of it.

The Sweetest Thing

So much has happened. I can't even begin to document our lives. I am going to skip over the urban iditarod, among other worthy topics of conversation.

Instead, I will just give you a brief update on us and our friends. This last Monday I was able to visit with some old friends from the singles ward where Jameson and I met. Melissa Williams showed up with her sweet little boy. It was so fun to see everyone and to catch up with old friends. Sometimes we forget how wonderful people are until we see them again.

We had a lesson on service today, and the biggest thing I think that I took from it was how much our love grows as we do service. Judgements fall away, leaving room for us to simply see others as children of God in need of his help. Service is a sure way to the Lord. It forces us to leave the natural man behind us.

We took a moment to think of all those that had served us in the past. It was the sweetest thing to think of all those that have helped us and myself along the way. So thank you. To anyone who helped me overcome my demons, face my sorrows, and ultimatley and hopefully be a better person.

Great Movie to Watch: Rango starring Johnny Depp. Seriously, fantastic and funny. Love the little mouse girl. Really the whole thing was great.

Curling . . . the mystery, the legend

Hey all -- I know, long time coming. We had a vacation in Arizona. Aside from that (it was lovely), we got back and jumped right back into life as we know it. Which for us consists of working and playing. One of my favorite things. On Wednesday, we went to watch our friends Curl over at the Olympic Oval in Salt Lake City. For those of you who don't know, Curling is a sport played on ice, in which opposing teams try to slide large rounds of granite into a circle. For a more complete list of rules, click here :

Curling

At the last winter Olympics, some of Jameson's friends (Shaun, Robbi, Nathan, and Taylor) thought that it would be neat to go to the Olympics. At this late point in their lives the only sport they could pick up and possibly make it to Olympic caliber competition is Curling (this was a general consensus among friends, not a fact). Therefore, a group signed up as a curling team and started to compete. (Un) Fortunately, Jameson had to work at the time that they have the curling competitions, so he isn't in the league. However, all his friends are. So we went and watched. Since I am so great at watching sports, I mostly studied some materials for my new job. However, I did watch just enough to notice the following even littler known facts regarding curling:

1. It seems to attract those who wear both horizontal stripes and wife beaters. (I know, is curling really a sport for hicks? -- more to follow)

2. Just as in any other sport, the men flex for the women in the audience at regular intervals even though they receive no reaction from female counterparts.

3. It just has to be more difficult than it looks.

4. There were a variety of women playing. Some of them qualified for the "Are they pregnant or not? I can't decide and certainly can't ask" category.

5. The rounds of granite are larger than you might think and I heard that they are only mined in Scotland, but that is unconfirmed.

6. It is possibly to play high, and do remarkably well.

7. Signature cards are hard to understand, and I am not prepared for this job at all.

That about wraps that up. In other news, this was my last week as a teller. Scary stuff, right? It's bittersweet. Kind of. I caught us up on laundry mostly and we also went to a bonfire and ate at a delicious restaurant known as Goodwood. Great barbecue, but a bit on the pricy side and we still think that Pat's is better.

Good Book to Read: M is for Magic by Neal Gaiman. I do so love this author (he also wrote Coraline, a book which somehow captures much of my fears as a child). This book is some of his short stories. It has become my tubby time book.

Yazz Game

Now I am just as disappointed as the next girl that my first ever NBA game was between the Utah Jazz and the Spurs, but it was really nice because I got to eat a pretzel with cheese sauce. And I wasn't really involved in the game, but my long history of watching brothers play basketball let me make some well timed jibs at the players and ref. It was actually really fun!

Here is a picture of me and Jameson (not pictured is the pretzel with cheese sauce)

Here is an up close and personal picture of the players in the e-center (also where I saw Disney on Ice).

Anyway, I hope that everyone out there has a great day. The Jazz did lose, however, the Spurs do have the best record in the league and it wasn't a blow-out. So the Jazz must not be all bad.

Good Book to read: Pride and Prejudice and Zombies by Seth Grahme-Smith and Jane Austin

A Return From The Netherlands of Space and Time

Just so that we are all aware -- I haven't posted in about a month. This is because we moved into our own home. I know, it was a good move. However, we didn't get around to having internet installed until yesterday. So here we are today. I just thought that I would make a list of different things that have happened. Keep in mind that I do not feel particularly well (minor flu).

1. I became the princess of a small island off the coast of Mongolia. It's a little complicated. Mostly a ceremonial role, but still, I feel the weight of my crown.

2. Jameson came into large amounts of money from an unknown and long lost uncle in the cracker business. We are deciding on investment options, and are drawn toward some beach front property in Ohio.

3. We became proficient ninjas battling the ever increasing onslaught of the undead in Salt Lake.

4. We founded an organization dedicated to the education of the public about the history of Arizona and it's contribution to our great nation.

5. Mostly just some cleaning and up keep on the apartment. A few minor break downs. You know, the usual.

That should just about get you up to date. Any questions?

Great books to read: These is my Words, The Diary of Sarah Agnes Prine, 1881-1901 by Nancy E Turner. My mother and I differ on our opinions of this book. My mom wanted less of a love story. I personally thought the love story was fine. To me it feels a bit like Mrs. Mike.

Anniversaire

Today, December 19,2010, Jameson Jackson and I celebrate 1 year of marriage. In a tragic accident, our anniversary photos met a dismal end in Jameson's broken phone. Consequently, there will be no photos in this post. In a nutshell, we got a room (the same one we had for our first night as a married couple) at Little America. We took tracks downtown to wander around Temple Square to see the lights. We also meandered around the Galavan Center and looked for a book store that might be open til all hours that was within walking distance. There wasn't one, so we walked back to the hotel. We then went to breakfast at Village Inn in the morning, where I enjoyed my favorite breakfast: crepes (also known as really really thin pancakes).

All that said, I think that today would be the best day to list the top ten things that I love about my husband:

1. This is slightly selfish, but I love Jameson because he cares so much about my happiness. If I am not happy, neither is he. And he will do what he can to make me happy.

2. I love that he still talks about the time he made me dinner. This happened when we were still dating.

3. He takes me to haunted houses.

4. He listens to my mindless chatter.

5. He is a righteous person who has the same goals as I do.

6. He likes long naps.

7. He plays an awesome instrument (meaning the drums). It makes me feel like I am married to a rock star.

8. He has the same guilty conscience that I do.

9. He likes silly adventures.

10. We have so much fun together. Yay for fun! I love you Jameson!!

Festival of Trees

This last Saturday, Jameson and I got some tickets to go and see the Festival of Trees at the Southtowne Expo Center. For those of you who are unaware, the festival of trees is a fund raising event in which hundreds of trees are decorated in different ways, then put up for auction to benefit the American Cancer Society. It was so fun to see all the different decorations and it definitely put me in the spirit of the season. Here are a few of my favorites:

Cinderella -- even the glass slippers -- pretty cool! Also this reminds me of the house in Lander that always has blue lights up at Christmas

They had some that were Night Before Christmas, but this was my favorite Halloween-themed Christmas Tree

This is Jameson next to a tree heralding his alma matter: Utah Valley University

Anne of Green Gables -- you will forever remind me of Cami

Winter Wonderland -- so Pretty!

This is so incredibly cute -- especially the title. It makes me think of the children's book Owl Moon. And my Dad.

This reminds me of my brother Rob. I'm not sure why.

Turns out, money really does grow on trees . . .

Needless to say, Jamie and I had a blast looking at these. Of course, we also didn't make it through all the trees. They kind of began to run together. Oh another princess tree, oh another classic christmas tree . . . . you get the idea. We went down every aisle, but we didn't really see every tree. Anyway, it was amazing to see how much everyone was willing to give for Christmas! It was inspiring and oh so very much fun!

Good Books to Read: Owl Moon by Jane Yolen (also a great fantasy writer)