Family Week! Chapter: Jake and Natalie

The Jones Family

Please meet my second brother and his too cute wife and family:

Jake & Natalie Jones Family

So here is Jake and Nat! They currently live in Des Moines, Iowa, (where there are more pigs than people) while Jake is in Podiatry school. They have been married since May of 2000, and have three of the most attractive and hilarious children in the entire world!

One thing that I absolutely love about them as a couple is that they have been friends since just about ever, and still love to hang out with each other. Natalie was my sister Sara's best friend through Junior High and High School, which made her a part of the family before she officially was. Here is when she came on our family vacation while Jake was on his mission. Therefore, she and Jake were friends by default and she has said before that whenever she thought about who she would marry, she would use Jake as a comparison, or someone that they needed to measure up to. And then she just decided that she should just marry her measuring stick!

Jake, being born in 1977, grew up in the heat of the '80's, and as a result of, LOVES all things 80's. I will admit that it was next to impossible to find a picture of him when he wasn't wearing jams, and didn't have his "Honey I Shrunk The Kids" shirt on. Another hard thing to find: pictures of him without feathered hair! Here he is modeling my Grandma Jones' flowers, and aren't we glad we have a picture of it?! Jake has always loved flowers, and still does, and he is actually QUITE obsessive/neurotic about the ones he has growing at his house. He actually is very OCD about having things displayed perfectly. Even if it means that he comes off seeming a little gay, like when he got totally excited about the cupcakes that he decorated beautifully for Parker's birthday, he'll take one for the sake of the display. Something that I absolutely ADORE about Jake is that he is easily excitable, and always quick to smile and laugh really loud, which is best when it is at inopportune times. On his list of favorite things is, "when ketchup bottles toot", which honestly, who doesn't laugh at that? And he is, hands down, the best story teller on the face of the planet! He can make anything seem absolutely hilarious, even if it is at his expense. And if you need proof, click here. Jacob is really good at making any situation a good time. One year at a White Elephant party he was gifted a mannequin head, which he lovingly named Trixie. He and his friends took Trixie EVERYWHERE with them, and while I had countless pictures of them to choose from, I thought Trixie sharing Christmas morning with us most adequately showed how much he loved her. Jake is very much like Alyson in that he got my mom's skinny jeans and genes. However, there has been more than one picture that I have seen that his jawline and facial expressions are uncannily like Melvin. Either way, Jake got lucky and was made into a very nice mix of both of my parents. He got my mom's musical talent (you should hear him play the piano) and my dad's sense of humor, determination, and hair line. :) And take a look at Natalie...basically their children will be bean poles all of their lives. I absolutely love this picture! These kids know that they have the nicest and funnest dad in the world! And they are quickly learning to be true Jones children and never be afraid to be somewhat unattractive for the sake of a good picture!

These kids are seriously awesome, so let's talk about them a little more in detail.

First up, meet Caleb. Caleb is six, and is such a little stud! He is seriously such a nice little boy, and is super fun to talk to! And also, who couldn't love those leggies! And speaking of leggies, look at these!

I have been waiting for an opportunity to use this picture and I finally have one! Caleb was in a Karate class for a while, though he seemed a little bit uncomfortable about the whole thing. At any rate, it must have worn him out, and once again, look at his leggies! I like that he crosses them, I think it's cute. I like to think that Caleb is a little bit like Calvin from Calvin and Hobbes. So much so that last Christmas I sent him a couple of those books for Christmas, and Jake said that he caught Caleb one night reading them underneath his covers with a flash light! Can you get any cuter? I'm not sure, but I think Amy puts up a pretty good fight!

This is Amy. She will be 5 in January. Amy has always been our pretty little Amy girl, and has enough sass to last a lifetime!

One of my favorite things about this girl is that she TALKS! When they were visiting a couple years ago, she was almost three, and I asked her if she wanted to come and play with me downstairs. To that she replied, "No, actually, I think I'm going to stay here and change my babies' clothes."

WHAT TWO YEAR OLD SAYS THE WORD 'ACTUALLY'?

It was amazing.

Amy loves pictures of herself, (what child doesn't?) and being beautiful all the time. She likes having pretty things, and collects anything that sparkles at all, calling them her treasures. She really has the personality of a 32 year old, which I think is incredibly entertaining.

Last up is Parker! Parker just turned 2, and is such a little miracle!

He was born with a genetic disorder that they weren't aware about before he made his dramatic entrance into the world. When he was born, they found that he was missing his thumbs and a kidney, and that several other areas of his body were not properly developed. The doctors have diagnosed and undiagnosed him with a plethora of disorders, and told Jake and Natalie that he wouldn't ever be able to interact with them or do things that normal babies do. He has proved them wrong, as he has such a distinct personality! Jake posted this picture that I thought was hilarious. Parker hates anything with texture, and doesn't ever try to hide how he feels! Also, he has the cutest little curls in his hair that I kind of want for myself! Here is one of my all time favorites. Parker just hanging out in his roller coaster chair, eating a scrap of fabric, being as happy as can be! He really is the sweetest little guy, and we are all so excited to see him keep growing and progressing. And it is only fair to mention that Natalie is amazing with Parker, and has the patience of a saint! She has been so good with him for the past two years and is always so supportive of his seemingly small strides. She always lets us know of what he's doing that is new and is so proud of her little boy. And honestly, look at her legs, how is that fair? So that's about it! A little more about the third child, and everything that he has done with his life! Jake really is one of the nicest and most genuine people I know, which is why he is such a social magnet! And of course, with a brother like him, comes a sister-in-law like Natalie, who is so incredibly talented and thoughtful and very very funny. Basically they are about the coolest people on the planet! I love you guys!