This Is The Place

Thank goodness for in-laws...they take pictures when you accidentally forget to pack your camera on a trip to Utah. 

You know it's a good trip when all you do is over-eat and under-sleep.  Spencer's youngest brother got married down in St. George.  It's been a full three years since we've seen his family.  We were way past due for a visit.

I lucked out.  I married into a really great family. The more I spend time with them (which is not often enough) the more I love and appreciate them.  This visit was the best yet.  I loved every minute of it.  We had a fantastic trip.  I don't usually mind living so far away from family, but I came home this time wishing we lived close enough to get together more often.  

 

 

 

I really have nothing bad to say about this trip.  The wedding reception was a lot of fun.  Down time at the house and by the pool was perfect.  The trip included late nights, good talks, crazy games, the best ice cream, cousins galore, too many trampolines, not enough sleep, daily outings, delicious doughnuts and lots and lots of laughter. 

There's no way we can can make it another three years. The kids are still asking to move to Utah and are making plans to buys houses out there when they're grown.

I'm happy to be a Smith.  It's a great family to be a part of. 

Birthday Magic

Parker turned seven earlier this month.  As per usual, we packed our day with birthday fun. 

After opening presents and fulfilling a birthday breakfast request, we spent the rest of the morning putting together Lego sets and practicing magic tricks (Grandma Benson sent him a magic set for his birthday and I hate to brag, but I'm pretty sure I'm the best magician in the house).  

 

(Chief apparently wanted to be next...he must have known we missed his birthday.)

Then I whipped up some cow costumes (thanks to Autumn and her generous donation of a lifetime supply of felt) and we headed to Chik-fil-a for cow appreciation day. (I'm ticked I didn't take any pictures.) Then off to Target for more Star Wars Legos courtesy of Grandma and Grandpa Smith. 

We hustled home to change for a trip to Zoombezi Bay. (No pictures again...who wants to worry about a camera at a water park?)  I've always been hesitant to take the kids to a water park so young, but it was a blast.  Parker was tall enough for every water slide.  And Reid could ride a few.  But they were mostly content to shuffle between the wave pool, the lazy river and the kid section.

We came home for some late night cake and sparklers left over from the 4th. 

 

(50 points to anyone who can tell me which location from Star Wars Parker requested for a birthday cake.)

Parker is everything you would hope for a seven year old to be.  He's a very bright kid and can apply his smarts to all parts of his life.  He's observant, inventive, and precise.  He's helpful at home...even when I don't ask it of him.  And I can always count on him for a job well done.  He's a responsible kid with all the traits of an oldest child. I love watching him grow up. 

Do you remember?

Y'r'member when I used to be a regular in the blogosphere?  That was awesome. (To be read like Chris Farley in this interview)

I've been trying to figure out why I used to blog so often and now I can't seem to make time for it, even though I still love it. I came up with a few things.

One, I'm busy.  Who isn't? And to top it off my kids are past napping age now.  Bummer.  Big time.

Two, my kids are growing up (hence the no naps).  Park turned seven last week and Gray is almost four.  That's right my friends, my baby is almost four.  Reid is sandwiched right in between at five and a half.  I realize that's not so old, but old enough that we go about our daily business without any blog-worthy catastrophes.  We can hop in the car and all three kids can buckle their own seats belts.  My purse is just a purse...no wipes, no sippie cups, no fruit snacks.  There have been a couple times this summer I've braved taking all three kids grocery shopping... an outing I would expect to generate a great story.  Nothing.  We went, we shopped, we left.  That doesn't make for a good blog post at all.  I used to turn to my kids for inspiration for writing.  Now I'm lacking that inspiration.

Three, I'm a happier person these days...which is a direct result of number two (not that number two, the other number two).  I can't tell you how happy I am not to have really little kids anymore.  I went through quite a dark phase.  It lasted about three years...and by dark I mean I really struggled to get out of bed.  I didn't want to face my days.  I spent too much of the past three years in tears.  I think I'm coming out of it.  I haven't had that kind of a breakdown in months and it feels good.  I'm glad my kids are growing up.  I think when I was depressed I needed blogging...it helped me focus on the good and the funny in my rough days.  Seriously, I think blogging really helped me make it through. I don't need it like I used to. I love it, but don't need it...making it fall lower on my priority list. (Also, I hate to admit this, but more time with my family and less time on the computer contributes to my happiness.)

Four, my camera is failing on me.  I'll try to catch up on summer fun at some point, but pictures will be limited.

One of these days I'm going to think up something great to write about (and find the time to write about it) and it's going to knock your socks off.

A day in the life...

I've been dying to share pictures from our family photo shoot last month.  It's taking some serious restraint not to post all 300 pictures, but we only had ten of them edited.  I love them!  Thanks to Laura from 2Q Studios.

We haven't had family pictures in years. I'm glad we finally have this time in our lives captured on film.

I'm pretty sure our family tree produces nuts.

Cousins are one of the greatest relationships ever.  I used to think it was because you get to be friends with people you wouldn't normally associate with.  But after spending time with a lot of my cousins while in Arizona, I've changed my mind.  I think I'd choose them all to be my friends.

Cousins are your earliest friends.  They knew you during your awkward phases, poor fashion choices,  temper tantrums and perms.  Yet at the end of the day, you're still related.  I like my cousins even better now that we're mostly grown-ups.  As kids you were kind of expected to play with the cousins your age and sometimes you got along and other times you didn't. But now? age gaps are not important.

A HUGE majority of my cousins on both sides live in Arizona.  And thanks to Jeff for getting married, I had them all in one place for a day.  I loved having a chance to visit with them (and aunts and uncles and grandmas).

A handful of my cousins and Aunts (and uncles who ditched the party and chatted in the other room) showed up at my moms house one night after my kids were in bed.  Aside from the wedding, it was the highlight of my trip.  We played a rowdy game of "In the Manor of the Adverb"; a charade-type game.  Spencer had us rolling with his Tyra Banks impression and the 3rd date doorstep scene he acted out with my great aunt Vicki. To be honest, everyone had us rolling. It was a fun night. (Does anyone have pictures?  Can you send them my way, please?)

With cousin visits so few and far between, I kinda forgot how fantastic my extended family is.  They really are the greatest.

Holy Matrimony!

I have a lot of things I want to remember about my trip to Arizona last week, but there's no way I'm writing them all down in one long blog post.  And since I don't know how much I'll really get to, I might as well start with the reason for the trip in the first place.

My brother Jeffery got married.  I knew I would like Olivia and this trip just confirmed it. (Though we had very little time to hang out...it was like she was preoccupied or something.)

We did get to spend a bit of time standing around my mom's kitchen on the night before the wedding preparing things for the next morning's wedding brunch.  Lisa, Mike's fiancee, came down for the weekend, too.  Even though I live too far away to hang out with these girls on a regular basis, I have decided having sister-in-laws is pretty much the best thing ever.  I've never been part of a family where the girls outnumber the boys (and I suppose if you factor in my boys, the girls are still outnumbered, but they were in bed so they didn't count).  I love that our family is expanding and I couldn't be happier to count Lisa and Olivia as sisters. 

Olivia was a stunning bride.  Her dress was to die for.  And to be honest, I thought it would be all about her.  But when the two of them stepped out of the temple after their sealing, I have to say that Jeff held his own next to his beautiful wife.  They were a picture perfect bride and groom. Flawless, really. 

These were taken a few weeks before their wedding so as fantastic as these pictures are, it doesn't quite capture the moment when Jeff and Olivia stepped out of the temple as husband and wife.  Those two just radiated eternal happiness at that moment. But you can still get a clear picture of how stylish, hip and fun they are. 

These two are a perfect match and I'm so happy for them both.

Making Up is Hard to Do

Raise your hand if you think parenting is hard... Unanimous!  Just as I suspected.  (If you didn't raise your hand, you're obviously doing something wrong.)  I've had a rough go at it the past month... evidenced by my lack of appearances anywhere in the blogosphere lately. I'd like to think that will change soon, but reality tells me it won't. Curse reality! May is jam-packed.  Then summer begins.  I'm hoping summer brings me a little more face-to-face time with my iMac. We'll play that one by ear.

We did in fact celebrate Easter with the rest of the world.  The boys got some new shirts for church.  Is anyone else as grateful as I am that H&M sells cute kids clothes on the cheap? Though I haven't had any luck finding church pants...which is why I made them last year.  I failed to take any Easter pictures.  After a lovely day at church, we celebrated with good friends and good food.

We also celebrated Cinco de Mayo in the usual fashion...with good friends and better food.  I can say that. I hosted both parties and cooked both meals.  I could seriously eat Mexican food every day of my life and never tire of it.  I've decided Cinco de Mayo is my favorite holiday.  You think that's a joke?  Low stress, the BEST food, Mariachi music, fake mustaches.  Honestly.  How can you top that?

Well maybe Mother's Day tops it.  But Cinco de Mayo is a very close second. Spencer and the boys (but mostly Spencer) pull off the best of Mother's Days.  I'm looking forward to it.  I could use a day off.  Plus Spencer already gave me my gift.  And it's a good one.  I'm talking Banana Republic good.  I guess that settles it.  Mother's Day is the best holiday.  No one gave me a new skirt for Cinco de Mayo.

Spencer and I celebrate 9 years of wedded bliss this coming Tuesday.  Want to know how we're spending it?  At the hospital for Grayden to have surgery.  Romantic, huh?  He has to have his adenoids removed and tubes put in his ears.  Poor kid has been walking around with significant hearing loss in both ears for who knows how long...at least a year. 

Has spring been unseasonably cold everywhere?  Or is it just Ohio?  There were a couple of days this week that the temperature never rose above the 40's.  I seriously haven't even unpacked my summer clothes yet.  I'm going to be in for a rude awakening in Arizona in a few weeks.  To be honest, I don't mind this weather.  I much prefer cold weather clothes.  If it weren't for all the rain I'd be fine.  The rain has got in they way of spring yard work and our yard is desperately seeking help.

I had a battle with poison ivy a couple weeks ago.  The poison ivy won. I've got it before (it grows rampant out here) but never this bad.  Two weeks later and I'm still itching like crazy.

We're getting our family pictures taken next week.  It's only been four and a half years since our last picture, but we decided to go for it anyway.  Any suggestions for locations? Or clothes? Local friends...I need your input...what do I wear that makes me look 20 pounds lighter?  RUDE!  But you're right, that's impossible.  Long distance friends...you'll only see the pictures if I come out looking 20 pounds lighter.  Or if my hair looks really good that day.

Does this count for a month worth of missed blog posts?  Cause this might be it for a while. (Thanks to Spencer being on a camp out.) And when he gets home tomorrow evening, I'm going out alone.  Bra shopping.  Your welcome.

Empty Threats

Me: Grayden!  Go to back to bed or you're in trouble!

Grayden:  I pick trouble.

Unanswered Prayers

Last night Reid said the blessing on the food.

"...and please bless that we won't have to eat green beans..."

Poor kid had to eat his green beans anyway.

OO-EE-OO I look Just Like Buddy Holly

And ironically, we have the same birthday as well.

I got new glasses.  It's been a few years.  Glasses are a fab fashion accessory, but they're kind of annoying to wear.  I picked myself out a hip pair of nerd glasses in hopes that it would get me to wear them more often.  We'll see how it goes.

Dear March,

What's your deal?

Didn't you read the memo?

IN like a lion...
...not OUT like a lion.

Sheesh!  There's snow in today's forecast.  I had no intentions of waking my coat from it's summer hybernation.  Yet the weather has been requiring it all week.

Come on March, it's spring.  Get with the program.

The difference between Parker and Reid

I make the boys put their own clothes away.

Parker and Reid share a dresser.

And again:

Parker came out of the womb with these intense organizational skills.  I remember a time when he was still crawling (so younger than 9 months).  He pulled out all my mixing bowls and lined them up by size in an orderly row.

I don't know where he gets it.  Because if I'm being honest, my drawers more closely resemble Reid's.

I need to put Parker to work on the rest of my house.



For those of you wondering, Gray is somewhere in between.

Who knew...

...cardboard could look so good.

I followed THIS tutorial.

Stutzneggar

But we just called her Stutz.  Her first name is Carrie, but with 2 Carrie's in the group we preferred to call her Stutz.  She preferred to be called the Queen of Everything. 

(Funny side story...I thought her last name was Stutz for like 6 months.  When someone told me it was actually Stutzneggar I didn't believe it.)

I think the thing I admire most about Stutz is her work ethic.  She was the first one of my roommates to get out and get a job; a "custodial engineer" at a nearby middle school.  That job had great perks...like free toilet paper.  She's always been hard working. But besides that, Stutz is adorable, devoted, spunky and tough.

It took me a little longer to get close to Stutz.  You see...she had a boyfriend back home.  She did whatever she could to catch a ride home with someone every single weekend for a little extra time with the BF (despite our best persuasion efforts to the contrary).  I guess it paid off. After he served a two year mission he came home and married her. 

Now she's just as hardworking, adorable, devoted, spunky and tough to the benefit of her cute family.  She supports that same man as they've moved around the country while he goes to law school.  She has an adorable little girl (named Bentley...is that cute or what?) and another coming soon.

I'm a little sad at my limited number of pictures of Stutz.  But if you recall...she was never around on the weekends and she worked during the week.  I love her just as much, there's just less photographic evidence.  Looking back, I'm pretty impressed.  It must have been hard to go off to work day in and day out while we all begged her to come have fun with us. That girl has always had a good head on her shoulders.

Our lovely rendition of "My Little Buttercup" from the Three Amigos

 

A trip to Temple Square

 

We all had various places to go that night, but felt it necessary to take a group picture.

 

I think I might have realized at this point how few pictures I had of Stutz and I made her take a picture with me then and there.  I'm not sure how happy she was about that.

What college apartment was complete without an inflatable couch?  Just thinking about that one makes me laugh.  

Sophomore year (while her BF was on a mission and we saw a little more of her) Stutz's mom gave her a HUGE turkey.  She brought it back and slaved away all day to serve the whole apartment complex. 

Riding the LTD.  

None of us had a car freshmen year and we rode the bus to get anywhere.  The boy is only vaguely familiar...somebody's high school friend maybe?  It seems like his name was Brett? Did we run into him on the bus?  Why is he in my picture?

 

Picnic on the Quad

 

No better way to celebrate the end of finals week than a slumber party! (Preceded by the best apartment dance party ever!)

 I had to swipe a current picture off her blog to show you just how adorable Stutz and her family are.  My pictures don't do her justice.  Cute right?

Stutz has a busy couple months ahead of her...with a new baby due soon, a husband taking the BAR, a move a few states away, and a little visit with her family in the mix.  I have no doubt she'll handle it with ease.

Miss you!

You guys know Jeff, right?

Last night I was giving my kids the healthy eating spiel.  You know...healthy food is good for your muscles and good for your bones... (blah, blah, blah) ...eating healthy helps you grow.

Parker: So if we only eat healthy food, we'll be as tall as uncle Jeff?

Me:  Not necessarily.  That has to do with your genes.

Parker:  That's why uncle Jeff is so tall?  He wears skinny jeans so he can just squeeze his body up taller and taller?

I went on to explain the difference between genes and jeans with my 7th grade knowledge of genetics.

And I used to think learning about genes would never help me in the real world.

To see Jeff in all his skinny jeans glory and to get a sneak peek at his strikingly beautiful fiancee, Olivia, you can check out their engagements HERE.