The kids are finally enjoying the snow in Idaho. This is the field we have out back. They love the snow! not the COLD





Brevan reminds me of the little boy in A Christmas Story. He can atleast get up if he falls down!





Brevan loves to mimick the dog. He spilled his milk just so he could lick it up like the dog!






Brendan is such a good sport to let the boys paint on him for art time. The boys really like to paint.





the boys snuck into the brownies. I had to take a picture so I wouldn't beat them:) They both said Cheese.





I am so happy to be a mom. We all went sledding yesterday. It was SOO much fun. It gave me a glimpse into eternity. Watching Brendan playing with our kids and his nephews, gave me a view of how important a family is. I once heard a statement that the only thing that is iportant are those things that last...an ETERNAL family. We love you all! We had a great christmas. The kids all loved what they recieved. I have to thank our SECRET!! santa for the LOVE he gave our family. Without you there would have been no Christmas this year. You know who you are and WE LOVE YOU!!! Have a great day and we hope to have Christmas pictures up soon.

Well It's been 2 weeks since I have updated our family blog. A lot has been going on. Brendan and I finished out couples counseling with LDS family services this last week after 6 sessions. OUr counselor said he couldn't do anymore for us and reminded us of the things we learned through counseling. I have to say I think every married couple could at some time or another benefit from counseling. Especially if you are a family with any amount of distance separation. I learned a lot from counseling about myself and how to better communicate with my wonderful husband. I love him so dearly and pray for him evreryday that he can overcome the obstacles that are coming his way!

Okay now for the other updates. There are pictures here of the children at brendan's NG unit's Christmas party with santa. It was lots of fun, but it made me REALLY miss active duty. We hope you all have a great Christmas and a Happy New Year. Oh btw brendan is FINALLY registered fir classes next semester at ISU in Pocatello. He is getting his masters in counseling(go figure). I guess we all need to help others after we get helped!




Kyle and santa-He really did get his cars from "SANTA"



Mackenzie and Santa





Brevan and Santa--"okay mom and dad who is this hairy guy?"

















Brevan and mommy posing for a fun picture while daddy and kyle make cookies!















Daddy and Kyle after making som YUMMY chocolate chip cookies. They sure dudn't last very long! Darnit



Once again Merry Christmas from the Cox's

I can't believe that it is December and only 15 days until Christmas! Last weekend we went to Wilder, Id for Brendan's National Guard unit's Christmas party and Santa came. Kyle got up on Santa's lap and said he wanted a race car track and a race car for Christmas(that's all he's been talking about for a month). Well Santa gave him his present and Kyle's first reaction was "IT"S NOT A RACE CAR!" before he even opened it up. After opening it up he found a 10 pack of hotwheels....and that MADE his day. He oes believe in SANTA.

Brevan was next to see santa and he was given a stuffed animal...he was not happy he wanted Kyle's cars. About 10 minutes later the Santa realized he had given brevan another real baby boy's gift to him. So Brevan ended up with hot wheels too. All Ican say is I really didn't want 20 more hotwheels added to our collection.

Mackenzie still believes and was excited to tell Santa what she wanted. She is so easy to please and doesn;t ask for a lot. She got some polly pockets there and was completely happy to play with them all the way home 350 miles...ARGH!
I will post some holiday pictures this week.
Oh yea brendan and 2 of his family members sang in a double quartet last night at the stake Christmas music fireside. They has sang last week at the community music thing. They sound AWESOME. it was so cool and upbeat music. I can't remember the names of the songs...baby born in bethlehem and good news i think.
Have a great week, Jess

Dog food....so brendan has a younger brother that use to always eat dog food and puke up his other food on demand. So I am trying to figure out why it's MY kids that do these crazy things. Brevan's new thing to eat and then tell us all it's yummy is DOG FOOD. and we all know how well my two older childen puke on demand, so mic can you help explain genetics to me and why your children don't do these crazy things that you did? Do I get blessedto have all the cox traits in MY children:) No brevan really did about make me vomit today when he came to give me a kiss and all I smelled was the dog food in his mouth, and his sweet little voice said, "Ummy mommy Ummy!". anyways just a little tid bit about my sweet children

mackenzie came home from school today all excited about her upcoming Christmas program at school. So I asked her if it was a holiday program. She told me quite frankly," no mom it's a Christmas program. Not a holiday like in Pennsylvania. Our school lets us celebrate Christmas." How funny is that. Finally a school that's not so set on being politically nice to everyone.

Another milestone....Kyle finally went pee in the potty!!!!! I have been trying for months and nothing....ever! brevan has peed in the toilet more often than Kyle. Maybe he will finally want to quit wearing a diaper at almost 3 1/2. Mackenzie was SOOO easy and this has been a nightmare for me. He is such his father's son. if it isn't his idea it's not gonna happen until he thinks of it...ARGH!! he is such a sweet boy, just independent which will be a great tool as he gets older.

Have a great day....Jess

Okay, my dear husband Brendan has frequently brought it to my attention that I have major grammar issues with this wonderful blog. So for those of you who are annoyed by my mistakes, I apologize. Come on men have you ever tried typing one of these with one kid on you lap and the other hanging onto your elbow also trying to help type? If not then you have no IDEA how difficult it is. So, Brendan my love Please be patient with this blog thing.
Now for my personal faults on not being as good with a budget as I need to be. I have learned a lot this past year about being THRIFTY. People use to think I was, but I have learned even more ways to cut and save. I now get EXCITED about the grocery ads. I look to see what is on sale and what can I stick up on now for our food storage. Like buying a box of cereal for 80 cents and buying 20 at that time(use those coupons women). I was always this way with buying clothes and toys, but now even my food is on sale or I don't buy it. I also am not afraid of free things. We have just been given a set of bunkbeds for our boys. Now I get to give away kyle's twin bed that was also given to us to someone else. How fun is itto get free stuff and then be able to give someone else something they NEED. all this has taught me alot about pride and humility. I hope that one day I canbe a humble person and not so wrapped up in material things. Have a great Weekend.
We love you all, The cox's(JESS)

This time of the year always causes me to reflect on all the wonderful BLESSINGS I have in my life. The greatest is my testimony of the Atonement of Our Savior Jesu Christ. The Atonement plays the most important role in our lives. Because of the Sacrifice of Christ we can live as eternal families and have the ability to repent of our sins and forgive others. I am grateful for the Book of Mormon and the knowledge it contains for our time. I am very grateful for my little family as well as our extended family members. My children are so precious and as a mother you pray that you can teach and protect them from the evils of this world. I love my husband dearlt and still can't believe it's been 9 YEARS. I love our country and the MANY freedoms that we enjoy. We had a wonderful thanksgiving this year. It was the first one in seven years that was celebrated with family. Mackenzie was even more excited to ride the horse that is at her grnadpa Cox's right now. All she had to do was bat those pretty blue eyes and WALA there comes along a pretty white horse(thanks to Kent Hansen) WE hope you all had a delicious and Happy Thanksgiving and may these next few weeks cause us all tpo reflect uponour own lives andhow we servethose around us who are less fortunate than we. We love you all, Jess

It is hard to believe that we have been married for 9 years as of Oct 17. WOW! Where has the time went to. We are all doing well. I know many were a little concerned after my last blog. Things are going great and I have even a greater understanding of Charity and Forgiveness. I knw that Heavenly Father is smiling down upon our family as we are strivingto put the pieced back togther again. Those who know...we have started counseling with LDS family services and Brendan is getting both individual counseling and goingto the church;s 12 step addictions program. We have just started so I am sure that it will be months before our choas slows down to a little unorderliness and finally back to sanity again. Thanks for all the prayers and thoughts. I do know that the Atonement works for both the sinner and those who hearts need healing. I have seen the healing power of the Atonement so many time over the course of the last few years and I am seeing it even more so now. Hope all are doing well.

Well life is crazy at our house. I have learned some important things this past week iof HELL!. I learned that no family is beyond the influence of satan and his war on destroyinga family. No details will be given, but please pray for our little family. Never take your family for granted, especially your pouse. Take those tender moments and cherish each other. We will always have laundry to do and clothes to wash, but those sweet moments that canonly take 10 seconds for a kiss or a hug for your spouse will mean everything to your marriage. There are so many good things to do each day, but are we choosing the best of 2 good things. (melodie...you know what I am talking about, it's happening all over again...any advice). I love my husband and children more than anything in this life. I know that satan wants to destroy Heaven father's greatest creation...an Eternal family. Have a blessed day and give the one little extra hug to your loved ones today because we don't know if tomorrow will come, Jessica Cox

I couldn't resist putting in these adorable pictures of my children. The first is of Kyle Wayne Cox, age 3. This picture fits his personality to the T. Always tryingto make people laugh and being the beau of the Ball.

This second one is Mackenzie on her Special Baptism day. November 3, 2007
Last but mot least, is our sweet little Angel Brevan Charles. He is always smiling and causing us to scramble because of his ability to get into danger anywhere. he is our little bundle of energy. Whenyoucombine him and Kyle....WHOA! hold onto your hats everyone because a tornado is coming through!

In our church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, a special event happens when children turn the age of 8. They are Baptized. Mackenzie chose to be baptized by her father, Brendan, on November 3,2007 and also confirmed a member by daddy on the same day. Her cousin Brianna Chmabers was also baptized at the same time. So we had a double baptism. My dad came out from Indiana to be here for teh sacred event. What a special day it was for our little family. It seems as though it was just yesterday she was placed in my arms and now she is 8.

The event wouldn't be complete without the mass photo session that seems to always accompany these events in our lives. Jess and Mackenzie.

The Cox family- Brendan, Jess, Mackenzie, Kyle, and Brevan finally get a 2007 family picture that turned out half good.
this big day began with my Father being sealed to his parents who are deceased in the Idaho Falls temple. so it was a great day for the Chambers Family.

The cox family on Halloween 2007. This is the first year that Jess has gotten into the Halloween festivities. We went to the stake center for games and LOTS of candy. The kids really enjoyed everything. Brevan wasn't even scared of the costumes. This was also the first year in few

that we were able to celebrate Halloween on the actual day. In Hanover Pa, Halloween was also celebrated the tuesday before and with a HUGE parade and carnivals.




Mackenzie and Brendan won the scariest family award. Brendan as the green Goblin and Mackenzie as the Princess Dracula.




our little Princess no longer enjoys being a sweet little princess for Halloween!




The boys go as Tigger and Pooh. they grow up so very fast and before you know it the toddler years are behind you. I really enjoy the boys and the friendship they have built with each other.


Last but not least...Brendan. He still has a way of walking into a room and making every head turn. those of youwho know him, know exactly what I am talking about. He let me(Jess) actually do the makeup this year. we all had a Great time being together as a family and celebrating all the festivities in Idaho with loved ones. One last thing...Kyle had his first taste of homemade rootbeer. He drank WAY too much and ended up puking all over the church and himself. Of course with my children if someone doesn't puke at least once a week it's not a normal week in the Cox home.

Well it's another day in the Cox house. We are preparing for Mackenzie's baptism tomorrow. I can hardky believe that she is 8 and getting baptized. It seemed just like yesterday she was born. She has grown up so quickly and into such a sweet and tender little gal. I will put up pictures of it all later. Wish me luck that I won't be to emotional.
Have a Blessed day.

okay. I am just trying this out again. I have had this blog for 3 years and never done anything with it. We are now living back in Idaho. Blackfoot to be precise. Brendan is working as a correctional officer in a women's prison and will be going back to school in January to get his masters in Counseling(drug rehab). I(jess) am a stay at home mom again after 3 years and loving every minute of it. I learned to grow a garden this summer and can/freeze it all this fall. It was ALOT of HARD work, but we are enjoying the products. Mackenzie is in 3rd grade this year and is making A's in everything and doing well in her reading program(5-7th grade level). She is singing a solo in te primary program this month and is doing well with the song. Kyle is 3 and is becoming such a little man. He loves being a big brother to brevan. Brevan is 16 mos and I can hardly wait until Jan 1 when he can finally be in nursery!!! It is hard on Sundays with me being the primary chorister and brendan in YM. He is such a busy little boy. much more than kyle or mackenzie were at this age. Well I hope this works and will allow us to communicate.
The Cixes