CHRISTMAS MORNING 2009

Well, I had real good intent to capture Christmas on my camera but, I enjoyed watching the festivities more then I did recording them. I'm such a slacker! I did however capture a few pictures of my kiddos exploring their Santa gifts. This year I was a bit disappointed because, it seemed like my kids didn't have the PURE EXCITEMENT as they have in the past. My dad and mom said that all of my brothers got less excited the older we got so I guess it's just part of growing up. Only one of my kiddos knows the Santa "secret" and maybe that had something to do with it. Don't get me wrong it was still a WONDERFUL Christmas and their was excitement but I noticed the maturity in my kids and that made it a bit gloomy for me.

We had Grandpa & Grandma Smith over for a hearty Christmas breakfast with all the traditions I grew up with. Kev really like the breakfast part of the morning. After breakfast we opened the presents under the tree and then everyone played with the new toys and Kev read his new book, "Going Rouge" by Sarah Palin and I started the clean up. That afternoon we went to Christmas dinner at Grandpa & Grandma Smith's house and saw all the cousins which we saw Christmas Eve when we got together at my sister Shanna's house for dinner and our tradition program. All in all it was a marvelous Christmas ans we enjoyed it to the fullest. The decorations along with the tree have
been packed away for another year and we are ready to bring in 2010!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

HAPPY 99TH BIRTHDAY!

Today my thoughts are with my Grandma Smith. It would have been her 99Th birthday today. She was 94 when she passed and I remember that night so vividly. I watched her draw her last breath of mortal life and at the same time I watched my own father become the only living member of his immediate family. I remember leaving the room to give my dad time with Grandma and to say his good-byes as I walked to the lobby of the hospital and started the phone calls to informed the family that Grandma had gone home to be with Grandpa and Uncle Rand. This was a reunion I wish I could have been witness to. I feel so blessed to have had a relationship with both sets of Grandparents but, I was very close to Grandma and Grandpa Smith and know they were both gone. Grandpa passed away on the same day my little Keaton turned one. Grandma had moved from her home in Idaho Falls to Gilbert AZ to live with my dad and mom and had only been here about five months before she fell and broke her hip. It was down hill from there and Grandma passed a little over a month after her fall. I am glad she was here and was close to those who loved her the most. I miss her like crazy and talk to my kids all the time about the memories I have of my grandparents. I am so glad they remember her and hopefully they not forget those memories they created with her. HAPPY BIRTHDAY Grandma! We LOVE you!!!

This is Grandma Smith with the then 3 great grandchildren in front of Grandpa's casket! ( Now there are 11 great grandchildren)

This is my dad with his mom, my sweet Grandma Smith.

This is Grandpa & Grandma Smith holding Keaton, the 1st great grandson.

This is the MOST in love couple on Grandpa Smith's 90Th birthday!

FUN FILLED WEEK & WEEKEND!

Well this last week was a busy one for us!

Monday was a rainy day and I spent the day indoors baking sugar cookies that would be frosted and decorated later in the week. It was rather enjoyable to bake on a rainy day while drinking hot chocolate and listening to Christmas music!

On Tuesday after school Keaton & I hurried to Scouts and then right after we had to HURRY to get ready for his Christmas Band Concert. It was a great concert and I think the trumpets were FABULOUS but then again I may be biased since Keaton plays the trumpet! They have come a long way since the beginning of the year. I was so disappointed because my camera battery kept dying but I did manage to get "Jingle Bells" all the way through the first time they played it.




On Wednesday the kids had a half day at school. The kids were thrilled with the short day however, I wasn't because I didn't get to do the things done that I wanted to do while they were at school. Bailey Rose had Achievement days at 4pm and I had to try hard not to forget since I have done just that during the month of November. I felt so bad since she loves Achievement days so this time I was determined not to forget. They made chocolates with Christmas candy molds and dipped pretzels in the chocolate. She had a blast and was sweet enough to custom make a candy for everyone in the family. She couldn't stop talking about how much fun it was!

On Thursday it was a normal day except Kev had to work the part time job that night since he missed Tues. night so he could attend Keaton's concert. He had the day off from Coca Cola so the two of us did the grocery shopping and ran other errands. He spent alot of the day getting ready for school which he starts on the 14th. Oh yeah I forgot to mention that he is going back to school to get his degree in Business. Yes, he is going to be an even busier guy with two jobs and school.

On Friday Bailey Rose had her Brownie Troop meeting where they crafted up a storm. She had loads of fun as always! That night the kids frosted and decorated the sugar cookies I baked on Monday. They had fun for a while and then moved onto something else leaving me to finish the frosting and decorating. Not my favorite thing to do but I managed to finish up. However, there is still more holiday baking to do!





Saturday Bailey Rose and I went with my two sisters and my mom and two of my nieces to see "Little House on the Prairie, The Musical" as the ASU Gammage. It was just fabulous! Melissa Gilbert played the role of "Ma" Ingalls. I grew up with the TV series and still love it today. I have read all the books and now my little Bailey Rose is watching the reruns and wants to begin the books. I'm so glad that she is enjoys it just as much as I did when I was little. She thought is was fantastic to be able to see the person who played Laura Ingalls in the TV series. Melissa Gilbert did a wonderful job as "Ma". Bailey Rose LOVED! LOVED! LOVED it! She is still talking about it this morning and asked if she could have braids in her hair like Laura. She is just TOO cute! She also told me that next year for Halloween she wanted to dress up as Laura Ingalls. We will see if that is still the case next October.


Bailey Rose and her cousins, Brianna and Taylor with their binoculars during intermission. We sat in the top balcony in the 3rd row. Even though they were far away we saw the Musical really well.

Since we couldn't take photos during the Musical I tried to take a few before hand.

Lots of FUN had by all!

RUDOLPH !

Thanks to my sweet and creative Bailey, I get a Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer all to myself! She is so excited for Christmas!

THE COUNTDOWN TO CHRISTMAS BEGINS!

Well, Thanksgiving came and went and it was enjoyable and yummy! We spent our Thanksgiving morning watching the Thanksgiving Day Parade and just lounging around. In the afternoon we traveled to Grandpa & Grandma Smith's home in Gilbert AZ and partook of a most delicious Thanksgiving feast. The kids had a blast playing with the cousins and the adults enjoyed going back for seconds and breaking out the pie and whip cream. It was a very memorable day!
Kevan had to be back to work Fri. morning so we spent Black Friday indoors putting up the Christmas tree. The kiddos had fun looking through all the tree ornaments and deciding which ones then would put up. As usual after they decorated the tree and went to bed I needed to rearrange some of the ornaments as most of them were down low and too close together. Bailey Rose helped me decorate the house as Keaton played the Wii. Every box of decorations we opened Bailey Rose would exclaim. "Oh Mama, I haven't seen this in years!" I laughed to myself and remembered how when I was a little girl each Christmas to Christmas felt like years as well. To be a child again and have nothing to do but anticipate Christmas morning would be nice again. I'm so grateful to watch all of that through my kiddos eyes.



Saturday morning I made homemade cinnamon rolls and we watched, "Akeelah and the Bee" and just snuggled up and enjoyed cinnamon rolls and hot chocolate. The tree lights were on and the house was all decked out and it was WONDERFUL just hanging with the family and doing nothing else but basking in spending time together!

TEA TIME!!!

Well, today Bailey Rose and I went with her Brownie Troop to Mrs. Thomas' Tea House. It was a lot of fun! The girls were able to choose a fancy tea hat and were served sandwiches, scones, fruit bowls and yummy cupcakes with a raspberry chocolate tea. Bailey and I had ice water instead of tea but, we put the water in the fancy china teacups and Bailey just loved every minute of it! We ate off of BEAUTIFUL China and the atmosphere was very English-like. Any little girl would love it! I even wore a very big fancy feathery hat. Of course there is no picture of it which is why I wore the hat. Knowing nobody else would see me, I gladly put it on for Bailey! :) It was fun to spend the time with Bailey and to dress up and put fun hats on and to watch her enjoy herself. It made me smile!






While Bailey Rose and I were out Keaton had fun with Aunt Deb who is always the babysitter of choice. As usual Aunt Deb had a fun activity for Keaton to do. They made these adorable Turkey Cupcakes. Keaton was nice enough to make one for Bailey Rose and they both said they were very yummy turkeys to eat! Thanks, Aunt Deb!

BEING THANKFUL!!!

I can't help but be so thankful for so many things! I am so thankful for a husband who works hard to support our little family. I am so grateful that he continues to love me even when I know I drive him crazy with all my "Honey Do's" and the fact that he loves our children. I am so grateful for the father he is and the example he sets for our children. I am thankful that he is a worthy Priesthood holder and that he blesses our family and home with this beautiful power. I am thankful for my children who truly are my miracles in life! I am thankful for their health. I am grateful for their individual personalities and how daily they enrich my life for the better. I am thankful that they remind me often of how much they love me. There is nothing more rewarding they to hear your children say, " Mom, I Love You!"
I am so thankful for my parents and the wonderful examples they were and still are to me. I am grateful for two wonderful brothers and two amazing sisters. I love my family and I am so thankful that we will be together forever. I feel so blessed to be sealed to my family. I can't wait for our BIG family reunion someday when we will be with those we love who have passed on. I miss my grandparents and my little Sierra who now waits on the other side. I know that day will come and we will all be reunited again. What a day that will be!
I would have to say though that I am most thankful for my Heavenly Father and my elder brother Jesus Christ. I know that without them and the sacrifices they made my eternal family would not be possible. How blessed I am to have the knowledge of the Gospel and to know of the Plan of Salvation. Yes, life is good and my blessings are plentiful and I am thankful to know that I am blessed!

GREEN THUMB?????

Okay, for the longest time I have wanted to start gardening but having never done it because I have always been afraid that I couldn't do it. Well, I decided that if I could grow tomatoes successfully then the next step would be to start a square foot garden. I just LOVE the concept of square foot gardens! Today having it be Kev's day off I took him to Home Depot to help me get the perfect tomato plant. We found the one we liked the best and then brought it home and planted Celebrity Tomatoes in a Topsy Turvy plant grower. I don't think it can get more simple then that and I want to start simple! If I get tomatoes from this I will be delighted and excited at the thought of starting a square foot garden when it comes time!

HALLOWEEN 2009

Well, Halloween has come and gone and here are some pictures that captured our celebration this year. It all started with the carving of the pumpkins on Thurs. night. This was the only night daddy had off this week. The kids and I enjoyed having some time to spend with him and we all had fun. This year Keaton went as a Spy and Bailey Rose was a Spanish Dancer. Halloween night was spent out at Grandpa & Grandma Smith's house with cousins Cameron & Landon. Everyone looked just so adorable even my little brother Chad who never misses the opportunity to dress as his all time favorite Michael Jackson. It was a fun night and the kids were just exhausted after walking the blocks trick or treating. Now I will ration the candy as my little Bailey Rose can sit and eat candy until she cries of a tummy ache. I look forward to taking down the Halloween decorations and getting out the decorations for Thanksgiving!