VALENTINE CARDS & A COOKBOOK

Well, tomorrow is Friday and the kiddos have been looking forward to school Valentine's Day parties. However, Keaton came home sick with the stomach flu today and a high fever so he has to miss the 6th Grade Valentine's Dance. He is pretty bummed out about it. I wasn't thrilled with the fact that they were having one in the first place since he is only 11 and not really old enough to be going to dances but, I was going to be a nice mom and let him go because, it was in the middle of the day and I knew he would not ask any girls to dance. He is too shy! He was excited to just hang out with his friends and listen to the music. Now he will spend the day with boring mom who will make him do classwork he has missed and rest instead of playing his video games. I know, I am a meanie!
Bailey on the other hand is planning on attending parties. She has already put out the outfit she will wear tomorrow. She has done all her Valentine's and had so much fun doing them especially after we bought mini M7M packs to attach to her cards. She is super excited! She also has her Brownie Troop Valentine's Party after school, so her day will be a party day and who doesn't look forward to that!




Aside from taking care of sick kids and a sick husband I have finally started another project for myself!

For Christmas Kev bought me a large Recipe Book. This is something I have wanted for quite some time so that I could transfer all my recipes into one book and have them printed out nicely. I have so many that are typed, handwritten & printed on lots of different recipe cards and pieces of paper etc. I LOVE the one that he got me because not only is it large enough to hold all my recipes but, it stands in a book holder so that I do not have to keep picking up my recipe cards to look at while I am cooking. I can just glance over at my book and it is right there easy to find and to look at. I keep it out on my counter since my hubby did such a wonderful job matching the book to my kitchen colors. I no longer have to hunt through the drawer for the right recipes book ( I have like four). Each page has a plastic cover so splatters do not matter. So many of my old recipes cards have splatters of ingredients all over them. Though it has been a project and will take me a bit longer I am slowly retyping my recipes out and placing them in their new home. It was just the best Christmas present ever and one that I will enjoy through many more years.

100TH DAY OF SCHOOL!!!

Well, today marks the 100th day of school. The 6th grade class is having a fashion show for just the sixth graders and the 6th graders are supposed to decorate their clothes with 100 things of anything. Keaton decided on decorating his 6th grade Science Camp shirt with 100 playing cards. I thought is turned out really great looking! He was excited to wear it to school today. I guess they are doing activities that have to do with 100 things throughout the day and then the fashion show for everyone to show off their creativity. Hope it is as much fun as he thought it might be!




And while Keaton is having fun celebrating the 100th day of school, Bailey Rose is fighting the stomach flu. I got a call from the school nurse at about 9:30am today informing me that Bailey Rose was throwing up. BUMMMER!!! I went and picked her up and brought her home, put her in the shower and washed her hair. Once she was all cleaned up with fresh PJ's on she fell fast to sleep with her "Blankie" on the couch where I imagine she will be most of the day! Hope she feels better soon and that nobody else in the family comes down with it!

LEARNING NEW THINGS!

Last night Bailey Rose told me she wanted to learn to crochet. I told her I would teach her but that she had to work at it and practice it to get good at it. She was thrilled! I was about her age when I learned so I knew she could do it. I learned in my Merrie Miss class at our church and I remember it was challenging at first but once you got the hang of it all it was quite a nifty thing to do to fill spare time. I haven't done it in years but it is like riding a bike. Bailey Rose was real good at it and picked it up real quick. She would like to learn to knit too but, I told her that was something I never was good at so she would to learn that from someone else or teach herself. My Grandma Smith crocheted several beautiful throws which I treasure and both of the kids have baby sweaters that their Grandma Roth crocheted and knitted for them that they will be able to pass on to their own children. Handmade treasures! There is nothing more special then handmade treasures. Bailey Rose seems to enjoy it and hopefully she sticks with it but she is only 9 and knowing Bailey Rose she will find something even more thrilling and exciting to do in the next week or so but at least she now knows how to crochet!

WELCOME 2011

It is almost unreal that 2011 begins tomorrow. Sometimes it still seems like 1997 and I am a newlywed trying to mesh my life with the life of my new husband and his two little girls. Where did all the time go? Those little girls are now grown adults living on their own. My kiddos are now the exact age they were when Kev and I were married. Boy, the years have flown by! This year brought new experiences and opportunities. Kev got a promotion and I started a new job which I love! We are SO grateful for employment! My kiddos also had wonderful experiences this year and have grown and matured in ways I am loving. I feel like we are ending 2010 on a great note and even though it is hard to believe 2011 is beginning I look forward to what this New Year will bring. I am excited for the new experiences and challenges that await us in this New Year and hope that they are good ones and not crippling ones. I am so grateful for my testimony of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
I am grateful for the constant love of a Heavenly Father who watches over me and my little family and for my elder brother Jesus Christ who made it possible to someday return to that loving Heavenly Father with my family. I hope 2011 is a HAPPY NEW YEAR for everyone!

CHRISTMAS 2010

Well, Christmas 2010 has now come and gone! It was a wonderful Christmas and probably the first Christmas in a long time that I was a bit more stress free and was able to really enjoy every moment of it. The kiddos say it was the best Christmas ever and to hear that is just priceless! They got some wonderful gifts but what made it priceless was knowing that they really appreciated what they got. I wanted to take lots of pictures but I was enjoying it all so much that I only captured Christmas morning.

The kiddos open one gift on Christmas Eve and by tradition it is always PJ's. I always like to do fun looking PJ's. However, this year Keaton told me that he was now 11 and needed something more grown up so I promised him that if he wore his PJ's this year, next year I would get him mature looking PJ's for Christmas Eve. He was a great sport about it!



On Christmas morning the kids were up early and very excited to see the Santa gifts and check out the stockings!













Their BIG present this year was that they each received their own cell phone. Bailey Rose was just BURSTING with joy over it however, Keaton opened his first and she whined which you can hear on the video clip because she was sad over the fact he got what she wanted most. Even though Keaton was surprised and thrilled he was more BURSTING when he open up his new Wii classic controller isn't that is a boy for you!





Grandpa & Grandma Smith and Aunt Deb came for a yummy and traditional Christmas breakfast and then after opening the tree presents and much later we headed to Grandpa & Grandma Smith's house for a DELICIOUS dinner and opened more presents and then while all the cousins played all the adults visited and rested. Chad my little brother and his son entertained us while they played the new Michael Jackson Wii game. So funny to watch them play! It was a very Merry Christmas!

LOOK WHO CAME TO OUR HOUSE LAST NIGHT!

When the dad works for Coca-Cola from time to time he brings home fun things! This Santa came home from work with dad last night. The kids thought it was fun! Bailey Rose had the most fun with it. When Bailey Rose saw it she exclaimed, "Can I keep him in my room?" Keaton said, "Wow Dad, that is cool!" Within a few minutes the excitement of our new addition was over for Keaton. As a little boy he would of dug this. It is funny to think how some things use to be thrilling and exciting to Keaton and now that he is older certain things are not so much anymore. It is much more of a challenge to make things thrilling and exciting for a boy then a girl. At least that is what I have found with my kiddos! It is somewhat of a letdown for parents when you realize your kiddos are getting old enough that you truly have to work at pulling off the "EXCITING"!

SIXTH GRADE SCIENCE CAMP

This last Wed. Keaton and all the 6th graders took off for a few fun filled days at Science Camp in Prescott. Kevan was able to go and chaperon and took pictures so that I could see Keaton's experience. They all had a BLAST! Keaton has since told me all about it and I am so glad he had a wonderful time. He was SOOOO excited to go and he had the best time hanging with friends and having new experiences that I know were so good for him to have!

GETTING READY TO GO!


ON THE BUS WITH BEST BUD NATHAN & READY FOR THE TRIP!


PICKING HIS BUNK!


CLIMBING THE 32 FT. WALL! (Once they were up the wall they zip lined down. Lots of fun and a bit scary too. I wish I had a picture of the zip line).





PLAYING DODGE BALL (They were only allowed to move 3 steps per ball).


THEY TIE DYED T-SHIRTS!


THIS WAS A GAME CALLED "BUILD A BEAST! (Played like the old game "Telephone").


"THE BEAST" (This is the end result).


PICKING APART & EXAMINING OWL PELLETS! (Not Keaton's favorite activity).


PRACTICING FOR THE EVENING SKIT!


THE SKIT!


LEARNING ABOUT THE SUN!


TUG-A-WAR (Boys vs. Girls) Boys won one & Girls won one!


KEATON WITH SOME OF HIS FRIENDS & CABIN BUDDIES ON THE DAY THEY WENT HOME!



Keaton and Kevan were both very glad to get home and to sleep in their own beds last night. However, they have the memories of the last few days and I know that it will not be something Keaton forgets about anytime to soon. I must admit it looks and sounds like lots of fun and I am looking forward to going with Bailey Rose in a year when it is her turn to go!

SINCE THANKSGIVING...

Well, since Thanksgiving we have been decorating the house for Christmas, Christmas shopping, having band concerts, piano recitals and outings with the Girl Scout Troop. This last week has been real busy! Keaton had his band concert and it was so enjoyable! He is playing trumpet for the second year. I love seeing my children develop talents! He also had his first piano recital. He has only been taking piano for a very short time and loves it just as much as trumpet!



I LOVE his cute bow at the end!

Bailey Rose had the opportunity to get all dressed up and attend the Broadway Palm Dinner Theatre with her Girl Scout Troop. They had a yummy buffet style dinner before hand and then after they watched the "Annie" musical Production. She had a blast! She has been singing the songs from the musical all day! Just too cute!




This is also the first time that I have had all my Christmas shopping done weeks before Christmas! I love it! Now I can just relax and enjoy the holiday and stay focused on the real meaning of Christmas!

This next week is another busy week! We have 6th Grade Science Camp for three days in Prescott. Kevan will be going with Keaton. I know they will have loads of fun. Bailey Rose and I will be hanging home just the two of us and she has her Dr. Appts. for her ear. It should be busy but fun! Both Kev and I get the chance to spend some one on one with the kids!

BAILEY ROSE'S SURGERY!

Today was a very long day and I am so thankful it is over! Bailey Rose went into surgery at about 1:20pm today and had the left ear drum repair with a skin graph from the back of her ear. She was very nervous but, Daddy gave her a blessing the night before so she was feeling much more sure about the whole ordeal. She was in surgery for 2 hours. That is a little longer then any mom wants but, my dad was with me so that I wasn't alone and it really helped me. Thanks dad for driving us and keeping me company. It took us 7 hours from the time we arrived to the time we left from recovery. She did really well and the Dr. said he feels like she has a real good chance of the surgery being at least 90-95% successful. We will not know for about two months and it takes a total of 4 months for complete healing. We will do it all over again in the spring on the right ear and then we should have whole ears again. That means no more ear plugs for swimming or showering. YEAH!!!

ARRIVNG AT HER SURGICAL DESTINATION!


IN HER GOWN AND READY WITH BLANKIE IN HAND!


WATCHING TV WHILE WAITING!


LEFT EAR HAS BEEN MARKED FOR SURGERY!


SURGICAL CAP ON AND WE ARE ALMOST READY!


SHE IS READY TO LEAVE FOR THE OPERATING ROOM!


ALL DONE!


OPEN YOUR EYES PRETTY GIRL!


TRYING TO COME AROUND BUT SLEEP IS WINNING!


FINALLY READY FOR HOME WITH A NEW FURRY FRIEND IN HAND!


HOME AND IN PJ'S AND SOUND ASLEEP!


She did so good! I am so proud of her! She was starving not having eaten since last night and had grand ideas for what she wanted after the surgery. Instead she feel asleep with a nibbled cheese stick in her hand. Good thing Thanksgiving is tomorrow and she can have all the turkey and mashed potatoes with gravy her little heart desires. I LOVE you sweet baby girl of mine!