Summer Fun

As summer is coming to an end I thought I would share with you all a little bit of what we have been up to. Even though our summer has been a very busy one we have still been able to take time to have some fun together. This will start from the most recent to the latest.
For Labor day we went to the Denver Aquarium. It was pretty neat altough it was busy so it was hard to get around. Jayden liked it for the most part although he didn't like the flash flood simulation or the elevators. He did like the coral and the sea turtles.

Jayden and mom getting up close and personal with the fish.

Having fun together

I love this picture. Jayden and Dad are looking at the sea turtles together.

There are several splash parks around Fort Collins. We have tried to check all of them out and spend some time playing at them. This one has a fake water fall and Jayden really enjoyed it.

After dinner one Saturday we decided to go on a short hike. You can see the foothills behind Derrick and Jayden. We got this neat little hiking backpack and Jayden loved it.

Jayden playing with the rocks on the trail

Thw whole family on our hike.

Jayden loves going to the park and swinging. We went to the park to play on the swings and in the sprinklers with his friend before they moved to Wyoming.

Here is Jayden and his friend playing in the water.

For Jayden's Birthday he recieved $2 from his great Grandma Jackson. So I decided to take him to the park to ride the train. This is a minitaure train that has a bell and a horn on it. We were the only ones on the train when we rode. Jayden was a little unsure of it but I think he had an ok time.

Mom and Jayden on the train

As a family we went on a picnic at the park. They have a splash park there and we let Jayden play in that for a while. He was unsure of the water that day he didn't like it in his face and was enjoying playing with his cups more than the water.

Jayden loves the pool he loves to kick around like a little frog. For a play group we went to a pool and swam for a while. Jayden was in the pool for about 30 min and was kicking around almost that whole time.

One Saturday we decided to go to the splash park in Oldtown, This was Jayden's first time at a splash park and he loved it. There was also live jazz music and Jayden was bouncing to the music the whole time. After wards we got some gelato and Jayden loved it

Jayden all wet from the slash park

When we were doing all of our traveling back and forth from Washington we would have to take two days to drive down and back so we would have to stay in a hotel. There was this really nice hotel in Burley of all places. They had a swimming pool that Jayden just loved playing in.

Have you Ever Seen a Pink Leopard?

Now you have

Jayden spotted pink

We had our very own Pink Leopard crawling around our house for a week, Jayden had his 12 month doctors appointment on the 7th. The doctor said he looks great and is developing well. He is still a small fry though. Here are his stats: Weight: 17lbs 5.5 oz (less than 3%) Height: 28in (5%) and get this his head is 181/2 inches which is in the 70%. Derrick says he is an orange on a toothpick. I joked and said that is why is isn't walking he is top heavy. Thanks to the Jackson genes for babies with big heads. I think all the growth is just going to his brain.

Now you may be wondering why Jayden was spotted pink for a week. He had an allergic reaction to his MMR shot. The doctor said that since it was a such a severe reaction this time that we really need to consider whether or not we want to give him his MMR shot when he is 5. He said the reaction could be worse or it could be better but we may not want to risk it. Luckily it didn't bother Jayden too bad just a slight fever and a little fussy and we were keeping the Beandryl going. I didn't realize how bad it was till I walked into the doctors office and everyone asked " What is wrong with him?"But he is all better now and not a trace of having a rash.

Happy Fourth Anniversary

Derrick and I looking super nice for our anniverary date.


Derrick and I celebrated our fourth anniversary on the 8th of August ( it is actually the 10th but we celebrated early). We each got eachother some nice clothes (Derrick: two dress shirts, Catherine: new slacks, shoes, and a blouse.) We got all dressed up in our new outfits. We were looking fine and we were ready for a nice adult night on the town. We got a babysitter for Jayden so no kids Yay!! The plan was dinner at a nice resturant and a theater show. Dinner was pretty good we went to an Italian resturant in down town. Although I got the lamb which was pretty good just not $24 good. It reminded me of turkey. Then it was off to our show "The Lady Pirates of Captain Bree"

Now I must tell you all before I continue with the story how we chose what to do for the evening. I was looking on the internet for things we could do (movies, theaters, music, dancing) normally there is always something going on in our little town but not this weekend. It came down to either a movie or this theater performance I found on the internet. We decided it would be nice to do something different than our regular date which is going out to a movie so we decided on the play. It was being performed by the Colorado Acadamy of the Arts. Sounds pretty prestigous right? And we had been to a play at this theater before so we were expecting a fair performance.

Well here should have been some clues that we were in store for an evening of unexpected events: One of the men from our ward said that his 12 year old son was a stage hand for the show. When we were picking up our tickets a little five year old girl peeks her head out of the dressing room and then closes the door quickly while giggling. Another man from our ward is there purchasing tickets for his family in jeans a tee shirt. Two of my beehive girls were sitting two rows in front of us. We look around and we are the only ones dressed up. The only people on the program are 16 and under.

So the show starts and there is this little four year old girl behind us singing along with all of the songs. Then one of the older boys in the show has to physically pick up a younger boy and move him to where he is supposed to be. The humor was like watching the Disney channel, the plot was predictable, and the acting is what you would expect from a play done by all children (people forgetting their lines, using the same mannerisims over and over again, forgetting their dance moves, not projecting so you can hear when they talk, ctc). Derrick and I were just trying not to crack up the whole time. At intermission we couldn't hold it in any longer and we just started laughing. We laughed so hard that we were crying. Here we were ready for a nice adult night out, we were dressed up nice and we were celebrating our anniversary by wathcing a children's play. We ended up leaving after intermission. It wasn't that the play wasn't good for children's standards, it was and the older kids did a great job. It was just that we were not expecting a children's play. Anyway it is an anniverarry we will always remember.

You've had a Birthday Shout Hooray!!

Tractor parade at the fair

Lumberjack competition

Petting the goat

Having fun in the petting Zoo

Checking out the pigs

Jayden and Derrick petting the pigs


Jayden opening his presents.

Yay he loves the tractor

He was so excited when we bought this at the store and now he finally got to play with it.


Derrick is showing Jayden how to press the buttons to make sounds.


Happy Birthday Jayden
Jayden with his cake

He loved the cake

What a happy Birthday Boy!!!

Wednesday August 5th was Jayden's first birthday. We celebrated on the 1st because Wednesdays are crazy at our house. We had a very full but fun day.

We started off the morning by having french toast with bananas, syrup and yes even a little whipped cream. Jayden loved them and ate almost as much as Derrick and I did. We played around for a bit and then I put Jayden down for his morning nap. While he was asleep Derrick and I were working on our lawn. It was crazy. We don't have a lawn mower and have to borrow one and since we have been out of town it really needed some help.

Afterwards we had chicken pot pie for lunch and then we went to help some of our friends move. There were so many people there and it was only a one bedroom apartment so we all ended up talking and eating some pizza for a little while.

Then it was off to the Larimer County Fair. It was fun to walk around and see the animals. There was a petting zoo where Jayden got to pet a goat and a llama and to see several other animals too. We watched a lumberjack competition and got some pulled pork sandwhiches. You've got to love fair food. We had to go see the pigs of course and Derrick told us all about showing pigs and how to spot the best looking ones for market.

After the fair we made a quick stop by the store and then started making homemade pizza for dinner. We had a few friends over and we chatted and had a good time. Then Jayden opened his presents. He loved the big truck from his grandma and grandpa Jackson and the bouncy ball from Mom and Dad. Afterwards we sung Happy Birthday and Jayden finally got to have cake and ice cream. He had been waiting for some all day. He loved the frosting and the sprinkles on the cake. After our friends left we put Jayden in the bath and got him ready for bed. He played with his new toys for a while and then crashed. It was a fun day but we were all super tired afterwards.

Celebrating the Life of a Wonderful Woman

On Saturday July 18th we were given the news that Derrick's mother had passed away. In Feburary she was diagnosed with lung cancer. We had no indication prior to this that she was sick. By the time they diagnosed it, it had spread significantly. In the past few months during her battle with cancer our family plus her community members have taken time to care for her. We will truly miss her.


Some of the things that we will remember most about her are:


Judy was a great mother she loved her children so much and supported them and challenged them to try new things and to continue to perfect themselves.





Judy was a wonderful grandmother. She loved to spoil her grandchildren with presents, sweets, lots of food, love and attention. She also loved to plan activities and parties for everyone in the family.


Judy loved to give to everyone. She loved to share her talents and her laughter with everyone she met.


Judy loved to have fun. She loved to play games with the family, go fishing, go to the craft stores, and go to hockey games. She loved music, to listen to it and sing it.


Judy also loved the Savior Jesus Christ. She knew of his love for her and all of her family. She loved to share her testimony with others at church and in the community.





The service was beautiful. It was a wonderful way to remember her and her life. On the front of the program it simply said "Celebration of Life" and we think that is what it really was, a celebration of a life well lived. We laughed we cried and we all came together closer as we remembered all that she has done for us in our lives. You could feel the spirit as the speakers testified of Christ and of the Plan of Salvation.








We have also included a copy of her obituary. She was a remarkable woman who has touched so many lives and we are all better for having known her.

Obituary

Judy Bates Pauly passed away peacefully in her home on July, 18 2009 after a brief battle with cancer.

Judy was born January 9, 1950, to Ivan and Hava Bates in Richland WA, Judy spent all of her childhood in Richalnd, graduating from Richland High School in 1968.

She married Joseph E. Pauly in 1970 and they shared a beautiful 39 years together before her passing. They lived and raised their family on a farm in the Basin City area of the Columbia Basin.

Judy is survived by her husband, Joseph: Her five children, Heather (Scott) Bjorge, Ketra (Craig) Remund, Rachael (Bruce) Remund, Joseph (Michelle) Pauly, and Derrick (Catherine) Pauly: and thirteen grandchildren. She is also survived by her mother Hava Bates: her sisters, Betty, Doris, and Vickie and her brother James. She was preceded in death by her father Ivan Bates.

Judy was well known for her artisitic talents. She spent many years creating unique home decor crafts which she sold at various craft shows in the area. She loved Christmas and it showed in her crafting and in her celebrating. Simply put, Judy was the life of every party. Judy was very involved in her community. She knew and loved hundreds of children during her time as a bus driver for the North Franklin School District. She was also a faithful member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Judy will be remembered for her love of laughter, her love of family, her creativity, and her generous nature, She will be greatly missed by her family, her friends and her community. Her family would especially like to express their heartfelt thanks to the many members of the community who helped care for her during her illness.

Happy 4th of July

Jayden in his festive shirt

Our happy family

Jayden and Derrick watching some fireworks

Derrick and Joe getting things ready to light off

Joe and Michelle having a sparkler war
Our grand finale!!! Pretty impressive Huh?

Happy Fourth of July

We were in Washington visiting Derrick's parents for the Fourth. It was pretty low key. We had a BBQ with Derrick's sister and her family and Derrick's brother came up with his wife. Jayden was awake for some fireworks but really didn't like the ones that whistled he didn't mind the ones that popped. Later that night we set off some other fireworks but nothing big some fountains and sparklers etc. It was funny seeing our little fireworks compared with some of the other ones people were setting off. But I sure do enjoy the Fourth of July. I am so grateful for the many blessings we have been given to live in a country where we have so many opportunities. I am grateful to the founding father's who worked so hard to make sure we had many freedoms one of those being the freedom of religion. I am truly grateful for all of the brave men and women who fight for our country and make it possible for us to live in a free land.