HAPPY NEW YEAR'S EVE!!!

I was talking to one of my favorite sisters this week and just asked about her plans for New Year's Eve. She laughed and said, "Going to bed EARLY and curling up w/ a book." I laughed too because that's COMPLETELY against what we did growing up with the whole:

-toast w/ cranberry juice and toothpaste at midnight (yes you read that right.....not sure why we always ate a glob of toothpaste before swallowing. Maybe all my "odd-ness" can be attributed to that one tradition. Hmmm)

-shooting of the cannon outside and waking up all those people, who like my sister, WANTED to go to bed early.

-probably blowing those little horns and making a mess.

I think I can count ONE time in the past 11 years that I actually stayed up until midnight and that was because I was at a party. The other times I think I just went to bed. I'm a party animal like that.

Then I thought, no, that's actually pretty SMART considering how much I like sleep, and how it is DIRECTLY related to how nice of a mom I am in the morning. ;) Plus if I KEPT the kids up until midnight they don't sleep in!!! They STILL will get up at 6:30, so they have less sleep and THEY are grouchy too. (not to mention for church tomorrow) I think of all the people that wake up in a daze, so sleepy, worn out and with a possible hangover on the FIRST DAY OF THE YEAR! Don't you think that's kind of an odd way to start off a whole year?!?!?

So, I'm starting the year off like how I like..........probably go to bed around 10 tonight after an awesome bath and some laughs w/ my better half. Then wake up refreshed, happy and ready to start the year on the BEST day of the year......the Sabbath, at church.

Call me a party pooper, but that sounds like MY (and my sister's) kind of New Year's Eve!!!!

December 25th

Church was at 9:30 Sunday morning w/ only one big meeting for the church day. It was full of Christmas thoughts, scriptures and music.........but I'll get to that later.

Sunday naps are a must. Then we went over to some of our fav. people's house for dinner. I REALLY was craving strawberry pie, but I was thinking out loud and said that wasn't very Christmas-y. Then Bronson said, "why don't you add Kiwi on top to make it red and green!" Genius. That kid must get his smarts from ME! ;) So we came up with this design.......they were super yummy too.

Then we get home and have a visit from the Hibbetts (couple I insisted on spending my b-day with? One of the awesomest couples ever!!!)............who basically were Santa and Mrs. Clause.

Bringing HUGE presents for everyone (yay for chocolates and clothes for me!)....and plenty of guns for the boys and babies for the girls. And if ANY of you know Iris and her dislike toward men, you'll see that this is pretty impressive.

About the music at church....

For 3 and a half years I've been the music lady for the Primary kids (ages 3-11). After all that time, I was released, so it was my last time conducting those sweet angels in song. Clearly, I cried....that was a given, but it was even WORSE because those kids were singing lullaby-ish songs (w/ a 4 year old ANGELIC boy soloist). Talk about tender.

I've loved that calling. Favorite one yet. I mean who WOULDN'T love to have a room full of kids that think you're the best thing EVER (even if you can't sing very well and crack REALLY bad jokes.....for the sake of cracking them). I would get weekly hugs, "Sister Smith!" shout-outs in the hallway, and random drawings from them.

It became my challenge to teach them songs in any creative, spiritual, crazy way I could. I loved that challenge. I loved the challenge of trying to think what would keep their attention and what would motivate them to sing and REMEMBER what they just sang!

I don't remember any lessons from Primary, but I remember almost EVERY song. That's the beauty of music. The words stick with you forever. When I got the calling the bishop then (Bishop Hibbett actually......you know, the ones that just brought us presents!), said I was the "Gospel Doctrine Teacher of Primary".

It's true, the gospel in it's simplicity can be taught (and remembered) through music. Consider a few of these lines from songs that the kids learned.....

"I am a Child of God, and He has sent me here."

"If the Savior Stood Beside Me, would I do the things I do?"

"Families Can be together forever.....I always want to be with my own family, and the Lord has shown me how I can"

"Heavenly Father, I remember now, something that Jesus told disciples long ago, 'Suffer the children to come to me', Father in prayer I'm coming now to thee"

"He speaks to me in quiet ways that fill my soul with peace. And if I listen with my heard, I hear the Savior's voice."

"Have faith, have hope, live like His Son, help others on their way."

Can you imagine hearing sweet angels sing words like these every Sunday to you?! How could you go away untouched and NOT feel the love of Heavenly Father?!?!?

The feeling I felt during some of their songs was sometimes so overwhelming (and it usually leaked out my eyes.....many times) and truly amazing.

Some of the words to the songs I just HOPED they knew that I REALLY wanted them to know that they could "Pray, He is there. Speak, He is listening. You are His child...He hears your prayers, He loves the children."

And so do I.

I was SO lucky to have been given that calling for so long

FELIZ NAVIDAD!!!

The kids wrote a letter to Santa earlier in the week asking if he could come a day early this year, so we could enjoy Christmas Day going to church and feeling the peaceful Sabbath feeling....of course the kids were up for that idea because that meant presents came earlier, but it was sweet when Bronson said, "It's kinda perfect that we celebrate his birthday on HIS day of the week anyway." Yep, it sure is, and DEFINITELY a LOT easier on us parents!!!! (church is at 9:30) ;)

Here they are lining up in the hallway singing Jingle Bells and ready to see what Santa brought. (Confession: I woke up twice in the middle of the night because I was SOOO excited for Christmas morning. Really? How old am I? )

Of course, Christmas and presents brought a LOT of happy faces....

And DO NOT ask me why Santa had the (not so) BRILLIANT idea to put nail polish in stockings. I turn around and there is Iris painting her toe nails ON MY CARPET!

Any other household into Beyblades? Well they are IT right now around here. (They are pretty much tops that battle it out, last one standing wins, kind of thing). Anyway, Royce loves them and kept trying to snake them.

Until Brooks threw a few nails on some wood by the fire and made their own Beyblade dome (the real ones cost $20!)........genius and handy man I have. Plus, when we're done w/ it, we can use it for the fire! (Brooks is a kid around Christmas too)

Funny story. I guess the popular thing among the kindergarteners in Emerson's class is "Hot Cheetos".....you know the spicey kind. Emerson ALWAYS asks for $1 to buy some at school which of course, I say no, because I'm nice like that. Santa must have known this because he put some in Emerson's stocking. He told us he LOVES them.....but then only ate one. We could tell he didn't like them and they were too hot, so Brooks kept saying, "Emerson, eat another one." "eat another one, if you like them so much" and on and on. Here is Emerson eating them......I love the look on his face.

Then he gave one to Iris and MAN did we HEAR it for a while.

Aleeya ASSURES us she likes them......whether they make her eyes water or not.

Aleeya is the puzzle girl and was so excited to get a puzzle.....see? She's so excited her eyes might just pop out!

And even after Aleeya left, BROOKS sat there doing the fairy puzzle......hahaha.

I HAVE mentioned Brooks is a kid right? Well, here they are w/ their stocking silly string.

Every party has a pooper........

The kids give their sibling gifts to each other the night before Christmas. Well Bronson gave Emerson some of these.....

If you have NOT experienced the wrath of the Flarp and you WANT your nose hair singed from the EVERLASTING smell.........you better go buy some.

(In Emerson's eyes that was the BEST PRESENT EVER......especially when he let one go off under Brooks' chair.)

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!!!

Random Christmas thoughts/ pictures

Aleeya is VERY into Santa right now. Infact she insists on staying up all night so she can give him a BIG hug and tell him thank you. ;) Well, she's also VERY concerned that he might get burned in our fireplace (since that's how we heat our house) upstairs. She was just so worried that he won't KNOW to come to the downstairs fireplace where there isn't a "fuego". So she came up with this so Santa will know to come to THAT fireplace instead of the one burning wood. I just love the magic of kids.

We went to a close friend's house to make some gingerbread houses and I just love seeing the different personalities of each kid. (Emerson's LOADED with candy, Bronson's all neat, Iris' pretty simple, etc.)

Well, Camden's cracked me up. He put a lake by his house (his dream to have a little lake/pond by our house one day), and do you see those 4 gummy bears on the top of the house?

Well, that's "Daddy, Bronson, me and Emerson", he said, "Because I like it when Daddy takes us on the roof" (he does when they clean out the leaves from the gutters). ha ha ha.

And Royce had decided to help w/ the decorating as much as he can around here. He's just so helpful......probably my MOST helpful child yet! (NOT!!!!!)

Here Comes Santa Claus....

WAY TOO LONG!!!

It has regrettably been FIVE AND A HALF YEARS since I've seen my brother WITH his family. (I met up w/ my brother once in D.C. while at a conference)..........one of the curses for living cross-country from family. Anyway, they've recently moved within driving distance on the east coast and I couldn't be MORE thrilled.

They were so sweet to pile their 5 kids and dog into their car and come down for basically a day and a half!!!! Right after they got here they busted out some gifts for the kids.

(My older nieces were sooooooooo cute w/ my girls!!!! Aleeya loves them so much)

And for Royce's b-day they brought him this adorable hat! I think he likes it! ;)

(and I like the fact that my sister-in-law brought her awesome camera and provided all these pictures!!!!) LOOK AT THAT FACE!!!!!!

There are NO words to describe how much I love my brothers. There's just a feeling I have when I'm around them. I love them so much. You wouldn't know Matt is 12 years older then me because he looks so young.

We visited, laughed, ate, cleaned up, and then I heard my niece run in and say that Royce puked all over my other niece. That was weird, I thought, because Royce never even would spit up as a baby......but puke he did. We're talking projectile.......and 4 more times before he went to bed that night. I think we were all crossing our fingers it was just "something he ate".

How pathetic is that?

Bronson and George are the same age and needed to make up for lost years not playing together. :) They were inseparable, along w/ Will who's just a year older then Bronson (you think we have enough wood to keep us warm this winter in our fireplace? ha ha)

The boys also introduced their cousins to our awesome fig/climbing tree. I absolutely LOVE this picture.

It's like no time had passed at all..........buddies from the get-go.

Did I mention Aleeya had fun w/ her cousins here?

That night Iris threw up many times in bed and Camden threw up once. But oh well, right? Mind as well go get some fresh air and walk around Old Salem. Nikki got some AWESOME shots. I love how around Christmas time they put up their Moravian Stars in this bridge (we have a big one by our door at home......I just love them)

The boys. So cute.

CLEARLY these next 2 pictures were taken w/ my not-so-fancy camera, but I had to put them in. Aleeya literally did NOT leave Liberty's side their whole stay. These two were so cute together and Liberty such a good sport. Aleeya had a blister so SHE got pushed around in the stroller.

While some were gift-shopping I hung out w/ the boys by the water pump......that eventually turned into a slide. I just love boys.

One of the best shots. ......racing across the bridge.

All the cousins (minus Royce who was so miserable and w/ me). Aren't they so cute?

For Royce's b-day we thought it would be fun to go play w/ the ol' pitching machine again.....afterall, a room full of balls to chase would SURELY cheer him up, right?

In our 15 passenger van, w/ our 2 families, we filled up all 15 seats. My favorite van trip yet. I love being surrounded w/ people I love.

And I won't go into details, because the boys won, yadda yadda, whatever.

BUT check out this picture Nikki got of when Abby hit the ball w/ Brooks' mouth open. Go Abby!

We came home for cake to celebrate Royce's FIRST BIRTHDAY!!!!!! You can see how thrilled he was and how well he was feeling. (and he ate 2 bites and was done then went to bed)

I couldn't help but think that night,that it was my VERY FIRST time I've had a 1-year old and NOT been pregnant w/ my next. Most 1st parties I'm lying on the couch sick and in 1st trimester. I was smiling, healthy and grateful to not be puking or feeling like I was going to puke.

I. should. have. knocked. on. wood.

I caught that darn stomach bug that whole night along w/ 2 of my nieces, my brother, my sis-in-law.....and well, you get the idea. We're such good hosts.

Well, it will always be a 1st birthday I'll remember, that's for sure.......if nothing else, for the FUN visit I had w/ my brother and his family. What a fun, relaxing time we had together.

Happy "Vet" Day

A while ago I think I proved that Brooks' Pathology field has proven quite handy w/ a family of young kids (with the pinworm issue) , and come to find out......he's even MORE diverse in his doctering talents then I thought!!!!! Not only is he good w/ worms but apparently larger animals!

Let me explain, my friend Cathleen has a dog, Madison, that had this big ol' growth (I don't know the details, I choose NOT to ask) on her foot. They wanted it removed and called their vet (who also said it should be removed). It was going to be $1100 smackers. Yikes. They called around more and the cheapest they heard was $700. No one likes forking that out ESPECIALLY around the holidays!!!! Cathleen and her husband have helped us out MULTIPLE times so it was kind of nice to have the roles reversed when they called and asked Brooks to come take it off.

So as soon as we pulled in from Boone, Brooks headed over to Cathleen's.

I had her send me pictures, but she went above and beyond and sent me a video of it.....it only made me whoozy in one part. Pretty good for me.

Here is Brooks pointing out the growth (I wasn't there but on the .....er.....nasty movie.......it looked like the same size as the end of Brooks' finger tip)

The cutting of "THE THING!!!!!!!" (insert spooky nasty music)
And the sewing it up. Madison's face on this picture CRACKS me up. She stayed still the whole time. What a trooper.......then again Jim WAS on top of her..........Seriously, I'm married to a man w/ MANY hidden and useful talents..........who knew that hanging out w/ microscopes, body organs and cadavers would make you so good at performing animal surgeries on dining room tables?!?!? Huh.

Boone Baby

(Anyone else catch the pun? Have you seen the Emperor's New Groove?.....one of Aleeya's favorite movies. ANYWAY.........)

Brooks does physicals for the state for those trying to qualify for disability every so often. This time was in Boone. Brooks suggested I find a hotel w/ an indoor pool and we make a family trip out of it. So we went down last Friday night and stayed until Saturday afternoon. Short, but really, it's all about the pool, right?

Well, for Royce it's all about the HOPE that someone will leave the toilet seat up. Not this time buddy.

He DID love the swimming though

And so did Iris.....with her DOUBLE floaty action.

Ok, when I saw "indoor heated pool" I assumed I wouldn't be freezing my hiney off. well, I was. The POOL was heated, yes, but the ROOM it was in was FREEEEEZING! So unless you were always under water and moving constantly, it wasn't too fun.

Here is proof I actually got IN the water, but it didn't last too long. No one else seemed to have a problem w/ the pool except us 2 party poopers.......and our 4 towels since they're like the size of a washcloth!

So while I sat by the side of the pool, it turned into a PERFECT opportunity for the kids to play, "Take a picture of THIS, Mommy". So here you go.

This just happens to be my favorite picture. Check out his look, the goggles pushing his ears down and his loose shorts. My skinny little Camden sure can crack me up sometimes.

This picture may not seem TOO exciting but I would like you to take a REALLY close look at his new swimsuit.....(you'll recognize it later, trust me)

Aaaaaaand, JUST when I turn my head, Emerson decides to make his brothers laugh by doing this (here's Aleeya tattling on him......you know, the little sister's job)

Anything for a laugh. We were the only ones in the pool, but it makes me wonder if he wouldn't tried skinny dipping if others were there.......you never know w/ him when there is a laugh on the line.

Iris' and Royce's favorite part of the hotel......my 2 babies.

The kids LOVED the fact that there was snow there in Boone. We haven't had any yet where we live, so they were pretty excited (seriously, sometimes I think they are NOT my children!).

CLEARLY we are not used to having snow around w/ bare feet and basketball shorts. :)