Weekend Fun

Last weekend we made a last minute trip up to Prescott. Much to our unprepared surprise, we found about a foot of snow on the ground. We knew that we'd find some snow, but we weren't prepared to dig our way to the cabin door! A few of my favorite pictures from the weekend..

Shayne and Ashley hiking the creek

Megan and Emily right before pelting their mom in the face with snow

My Cuties

Megan loved those icicles!

The kids loved finding long icicles. A new find for them!

We had a great time hangin out. We ended up taking a back road drive and got a stuck in the snow for a few hours...but even that was pretty fun! Luckily, with a short hike we found cell reception and called for help. It just wouldn't be a true Smith vacation without a little unplanned fun!

The real difference..

between a boys view of Valentine's Day...

and a girls view of Valentine's Day...

is all in the design of the box!

Seriously how cute is that? Shayne created the ultimate Valentine football box, complete with bleachers, players and the best possible outcome of a game. Sorry Packer fans, but in Shayne's world..the Bronco's can't be beat!

Then Megan...our creative girly girl. Pink rules on Valentine's Day for our little Princess!

I'm Lovin It!

Life Lessons On Field trips?

February must be the month for fieldtrips. Emily got to go on her first ever offical fieldtrip! She was so excited. After her stitches incident, she was worried that she wouldn't be able to go and she was crushed. She was feeling fine that morning so off we went to the Suffington Bear factory. Its kinda like the trailer park version of Build a bear. She loved it. Even got to make a blue bear!

Emily and Me

As you can probably tell from the picture Emily got an infection in the stitches and swelled up pretty good. She was very self conscious of people looking at her head, poor girl. I had a heartbreaking experience at the factory that made me cry in the middle of this place surrounded by 80 kindergartners.

When Emily took her bear over to the workers to get the bear sewn up, the ladies wouldn't take her bear. They just stared at her. I was on the other side of the room when I noticed that something was happening. I saw Emily standing at the sewing table, bear on table in front of 5 grown adults staring at her. No one would take the bear. I quickly went over to find my little Emily with tears welling up in her eyes. She threw her arms around me. At that moment I was a ragging maniac and one pissed off puppy. I looked at these women with disgust. Shouldn't they know better? Didn't their mothers teach them not to stare? Shes 5 for heavens sake! I said take the dang bear and sew it up or I'll do it myself! (ok this was the nice G rated version but you get the picture) My heart broke. Emily being the innocent and forgiving girl that she is, bounced back and went on her way bear in hand.

Two lessons I was reminded of from this experience:

*Don't ever make others feel inferior because for their differences, somethings are out of their control

*Forgiveness is a Christ-like trait that children are blessed with, and that adults need to strive for. Forgive and forget...plain and simple

Field trip #2

Two days later I was back on the big yellow bus headed to see Mr Slimbody. Basically its a 70 year old guy dressed in a bodysuit with body parts all over. Do you envy me? It actually was one of the most entertaining field trips ever. Ashley has been learning about the human body and knows many more fact then I do. This guy was the prize at the end of the body unit. We learned a few new songs and learned about everything our amazing bodies can do!
Me and Ashley

I love to go on field trips with my kids. I love to see them interact with their friends and have a good time. I guess my kids are quit to the age when mom is so not cool. I dread that day. I hope I can stay cool for a long time because I love to be with my awesome kids!

What do you get..

when you combine Emily's forehead..

with Shayne's front tooth...

and one trampoline?

1. trip to the new Phoenix Children's East valley ER and 7 stitches - $500

1 visit to Dr Crockett and a new front tooth -$500

2 kids tough as nails ....priceless

My Shooting Star

Megan has been involved in a pre show performance with her cousin Lauren that warmed up the audience before the Fiddler on the roof play for the last few months. My mom and I went to see her yesterday and man she hammed it up! I love it! We weren't sure if she spotted us from the stage but thought from the twinkle in her eye that she must know where we were sitting. Sure enough.. after the show we asked and she said "I could see Grandma's bright pink shirt and could hear mom screaming for me". That about sums it up. I just can't control myself! I get so giddy watching my kids.
Megan and Lauren

Look at my girl stike that pose


The girls after the show.

She did an awesome job! I love to watch my kids preform. I beam with pride and joy to see my kids having fun. Way to go MEGAN!! You stold the show!

Speechless

WOW...Just wow. Tonight Todd and Shayne left for the 6th grade oceanography trip. 48 hours of non stop fun in San Diego. I guess he thought that he was going to lose his mind...so why not his hair too! Funny...just plain funny. Man I love this bald guy!!

The Straw

Ya know that old saying.. "it was the straw that broke the camel's back"?

These past several, well 8 months, have been filled with stress, tears, fear, hope, joy, tender mercies and just about every other type of emotion. I've always been a big believer that the Lord will never give us more than we can handle. So why is it that I keep thinking...really??? YOU think I can handle this too??? and then in the same breath, I'm so happy that I only have to handle my own trials and not the trials of those that surround me. To often I get to consumed with myself to recognize how good I really have it. I'm so thankful, really I am.

But yesterday just about sent me over the edge. I got home later than the rest of my family from church because of a meeting that I attended. I walked in to find my dear, stress out husband in a way that I'd never seen him. The next few hours are a big fast blur. I found myself surrounded by family, friends, neighbors and medics. As I looked a Todd who had no clue what was happening being carried off on a stretcher, I felt that dang piece of straw. It wasn't until I looked into the eyes of a scared 11 boy that had been so strong for me, that I thought..what else...seriously what else. What am I suppose to learn from this trial? I wish my thick head would learn it fast so that we can move on...

Todd is fine. He came home a few hours after arriving in the ER. He had a reaction to a pain med that he was taking for his kidney stone that he is still trying to pass. Yet another tender mercy, it could have been so much worse. I got him home and settled and left the girls with my mom who drove over to be with us, and meet up with Shayne for his Priesthood preview night. Talk about extremes. I sat with him and was reminded of the power of the priesthood. As shaky as I was from the vast range of emotions that I'd just encountered, I could feel of the peace, the power and love that is the gospel of Jesus Christ. Surrounded by friends and my one and only son learning about the power that is the priesthood.

I'm more convinced today, than ever before, that the Lord is aware of me and my family. And even though I feel like I've been beaten up, put through the ringer and hung out to dry, I see first hand the Lord's tender mercies. I can see the "light" at the end of our "tunnel". I just wish I had a faster car to get me to the end.