Village Boy

Teton Village has an outdoor summer concert series that runs for five Sundays in July & August. We went to everyone of them, brought dinner, sat on a blanket, and had a great time enjoying the summer and good music. The Village went through a major makeover several years ago and completely updated the grounds for summer activities .They put in a playground, creek, pond, an amphitheater, and a water feature that has LED lights in the stone floor that shoot up water in different intervals. All these features are great additions for families because before there was nothing to keep children entertained at the village. Oscar had fun playing in the water feature and playground and would occasionally do his "Oscar dance" while the music played. Did I mention all these concerts are completely free? It is nice to live in a county full of millionaires. 

Bubbles and Spray Bottle Chase

Oscar loves bubbles and he always wants you to blow "big bubbles", then he pops it, and wants you to keep them coming like you are a bubble factory. Most days after work/school, we hang out on the deck and Oscar blows bubbles and plays with his water toys. His favorite is this hot pink spray bottle that I used for ironing, until a year ago when he decided it was his. He loves filling it and spraying everything in site including his parents. He chased Chris around the yard for thirty minutes and was cracking up laughing. Obviously Chris was not that taxed as he was still able to carry his beer while playing chase. Priorities. 

Field Trip- Yay!

Oscar's class took their first out of state field trip on Wednesday- they went to the Idaho Falls Zoo! Oscar has been talking about this field trip since June and he has been so excited. Also, he was going to be able to ride a bus there! His school has two buses that are equipped with car seats strapped to the benches, so they are able to brings the kids places. They have been to the library, museum, etc, but this zoo trip is by far the farthest they have gone on a field trip. Chris & I took off of work to accompany his class and his teachers, they were very thankful for the extra help they received from us and two other parents. When you have ten two-three year olds, you need as many parents as you can get. The kids had such a wonderful time and they were so excited to see the animals. They saw this tortoise and all the kids starting shouting that is was "Crush" from the movie Nemo - totally cute! Oscar is still talking about how he saw "Crush". I am so thankful that we were able to go and that his school allows the children to have these experiences together. 

Hudson - Jesse - Oscar
(Oscar's equivalent of BFFs)

Oscar trying to talk to the pelicans. 

"Crush"

Oscar + Butter Shoes = Cuteness

Is this photo Chris took of Oscar not adorable? He has great taste in shoes. 

Evil Chris Knievel

Chris loves adventure. Adventure meaning things most people do not attempt because they would like to live. Chris also loves mountain biking, as obvious by previous entries, so it is no surprise that he likes downhill mountain biking. This sport takes a lovely thing like riding on a cruiser bike in the sun, and turns it into a sport where you are advised to wear a full face helmet, neck brace, knee pads, pretty much wrap yourself in bubble wrap and say your prayers. Also it is sad for me, because Chris is pretty good at downhill mountain biking, and the better he gets the bigger the jumps get.............. see below. 

Bigger jumps for Chris = heart palpitations for Jessica. 

Strawberry Farmer

Earlier this spring, while on a trip to the hardware store, I saw strawberry plants for sale for 89 cents. These plants were suspicious, mainly because they were planted in what looked like plastic cups thrown at a parade. However, my soft spot for strawberries could not let me pass them up. I bought two figuring if I was out a whopping $1.78, I would manage to survive. Surprisingly these plants have done very well, and Oscar has helped me water and take care of them. Oscar gets so excited when he sees a new strawberry, and will ask everyday if it is ready (for him to eat of course). Well finally, yesterday, one strawberry was ready to eat. Oscar was kind enough to let me have a nibble, and it was an amazing strawberry. So good! Oscar cannot wait for the next one to fully ripen. Currently we have about 10 strawberries between the two plants. While this is not a great harvest, it is enough to keep us entertained and turn my little boy into the mogul of strawberry farming in Jackson, WY. 

All You Need is Love, Love

Vonny & Don are getting MARRIED! 

(Chris' mom, for those jauberry readers that do not know)

We are so happy for such a wonderful couple and look forward to celebrating many happy years together!

Feed the Birds

We went to the Farmer's Market on Saturday and while buying collard greens, spinach, and bing cherries, I bought a Sugar Pine cone. The Sugar Pine is supposedly the world's tallest pine tree, which produces the largest pine cones in the world. There is always a booth at the market where a lady is always selling lavender, pastries, and these pine cones. I have bought lavender from her several times in the past, but I am not one of those people who collect pine cones as decoration. However, this past Saturday, I came up with a use for these mammoth pine cones- a bird feeder project with Oscar! As I waited in line, I was so excited and I told the woman selling them what I was going to do with my pine cone. Apparently she thought this was no life for her beautiful pine cones, but as I said above, I am not decorating my house with pine cones, sticks, leaves or anything except maybe flowers from trees. On Sunday, after Oscar's nap, we brought out all the supplies for the bird feeder. Oscar, Chris, and I worked together spreading peanut butter and sprinkling wild bird seed all over the pine cone. Oscar really liked helping with the bird seed and he was so proud of his bird feeder. Chris hung it up right outside our dining room window, so hopefully we can watch the birds eat while we eat. 

Louisiana Saturday Mornings

There is a small urban type market half a mile from our house called Aspens Market. This is the market you go to when the Whole Foods in town seems too cheap. I go there when we need milk or something small and look around because they carry specialty items that you cannot find anywhere else like...... Cafe du Monde Beignet mix!! I cannot begin to tell you how excited I was to see that familiar gold, brown, and white box. I am a made from scratch kind of girl except when it come to beignets. I have never found a recipe that makes them light, fluffy and oh so delicious like a Cafe du Monde beignet, and when someone has been in business making only one food item for 149 years, there is no need to reinvent the wheel. So I bought a box and surprised Chris with beignets on Saturday morning. They looked wonderful and it was great to have memories of home and teach Oscar about Louisiana culture. 

Popsicle Time!

It is so hot in Jackson... sometimes it can be 80, even 85 degrees with little humidity! Oh the humanity! (How hot is it in Louisiana right now? :)  Oscar's class made popsicles on Friday and today his teacher Heather sent me a photo of our cute little boy stirring the mix. 

Thanks Carlie for the new clothes! 

Jackson Lake

While Chris & Matt helped paint the Chapel of the Sacred Heart on Saturday, Pam & I kept the kids entertained. We went on a bike ride around the campground and saw a dirt path where you could access Jackson Lake. We got all our gear together, (having kids means you look like you are going on a seven day vacation for the simplest events like hanging at a lake) and meet for some fun in the water. I know most people who read jauberry live in Louisiana where everyone where bikinis, but you see those snow covered mountains  When they melt.... you guessed it, the lakes here are full of ice cold melted snow. Of all the lakes though, Jackson Lake is by far the warmest one I have found. Oscar & Parker have no problem with any lake or river because they were born here in Jackson and I guess it is in their blood.  I will say the wonderful thing about having boys is give them a shovel, sticks, rocks, dirt, and water, they can entertain themselves for hours. 

Like Father, Like Son

Today we went up to Signal Mountain and the Chapel of the Sacred Heart in Grand Teton National Park. While there, Oscar rode around with Parker on their balance bikes. Of course, they had to trade bikes because the other person's bike is better than theirs. The Gothams were camping and at their campsite were a sweet little set of trails that the boys were riding through like little backcountry riders. They looked just like a little Matt & Chris, they were even trying to do jumps. 

After we left the park, Chris went to the village where they were having a grand opening of the down hill bike trails. A man from Mountain Pulse approached Chris after a ride and told him he was going to be the photo of the day! What a celebrity  we now have on our hands. The photo is pretty awesome, (see below, also click on the photo for a link to the website) but I really prefer to live in my world where Chris isn't trying to kill himself every time I turn around. Between Oscar & Chris, what is a girl to do?

And They All Asked for You .....

I went on up to the Audu'mon Zoo 
And they all asked for you 
The monkey's asked 
The tiger's asked 
And the elephant asked f'you, too 

We went to the Audubon Zoo & the Aquarium of the Americas while we were in Louisiana. It was Oscar's first time at a zoo and a aquarium, and he told everyone in Jackson, before we left, that he was going to see giraffes and sharks in Louisiana. He was very excited and he had such an amazing time looking at the animals. We were lucky that they were feeding the monkeys while we passed, so they were very active. Oscar loved the elephants, he watched them about four times and always was asking to go back to the elephants. The only problem was the heat, but Paw Paw Charlie treated us all to snowballs at Monkey Hill, so we were able to cool off and continue on our adventure. Oscar had a great time at the aquarium as well. He loved the beginning when you get to stand under the tunnel of all the different types of fish and sting rays. The sea otters were very lively and put on a  great show. Oscar watched them swim and play for probably thirty minutes and loved them. We all went to Cafe' Maspero afterwards and had a great family dinner. It was a wonderful day and I could not believe how well Oscar powered through without a nap. 

Disclaimer: Chris mainly took photos of the animals, but my mom is suppose to send me some of Oscar with the animals and all of us on the oak tree, which I will then post.

Most Beautiful Mom ever

On the Farm

Oscar was talking about riding Paw's tractor three weeks before we left for Louisiana. He was so excited and this time he wanted to ride on the "big one" the "orange one" and he got his wish. He was so adorable and he was even trying to whistle as he drove the tractor. After breakfast, we walked down to the pond where he helped Granny feed the fish. Granny then took us all on a tour of her flowers in the golf cart, which Oscar got to help drive. He is so spoiled when we are home, Carlie, Paw Paw Charlie, Paw, & Granny let him do whatever he wants and there is no shortage of food.