Lacrosse

Both the boys decided they wanted to play lacrosse this year. This just happens to be a sport I know nothing about. A lot of Taylor's football team plays so we thought it would be really great if the boys played football in the fall and lacrosse in the spring together. Taylor ended up with nine boys from his football team so we were happy.

Like all spring sports the whole season was C-O-L-D! Sometimes I wonder what we are thinking when we let them sign up. They started practice and over time we started to figure out the rules, Rob more than me, but at least I wasn't as clueless as before.

Taylor was a natural. Any time he can hit someone and it's OK is a good time for him. He grabbed that stick and went with it. He was a little behind simply because several boys on his team had played at least one year prior to this but overall he picked it up and had a ball.

(he's in the black helmet)

This was his first goal. I really wished i had gotten him in the shot too but it happens so fast that i was lucky to get this.

Austin picked it up pretty quickly too. The downside for his age group is most of the boys had been playing for years. It's hard for a fourteen year old to come in and pick up a game three to four years behind your teammates. He held his own though. And he really liked it. he has even talked about playing for Mountain View next year so we will see how that pans out. We have tournaments this week and then it will be over. I'm a little sad thinking about not watching them anymore. This truly is a fantastic sport to watch and I am so happy they both decided to give it a try.

Another of Emily's funnies

Emily pretty much knows how to say everything and doesn't do those cute little funny words like she used to. However...every once in a while she will say something wrong and give me a good laugh.

This week she said two.

We were at Taylor's practice Wednesday night and she asked me if I knew what someone was called that watched a game.
J-yes, a spectator.
E-yeah, that's what we will be. Expectators.
I kind of grinned and said
J-Spectators.
E-Yeah that's what I said...expectators
Poor little thing.

This morning she was sitting on the toilet asking me what time she gets out of school today since they have a short day. I told her 1:30.
E-Is that the usually time I get out?
J-No. You usually get out at 3:35.
E-So the usually time I get out is 3:35?
J-Yep.

I could just eat her up!

My ears hurt

My two youngest children have been recently diagnosed with an illness. Chronic diarrhea of the mouth. I'd like to say it isn't serious but that isn't the case. With is comes terrible side affects such as sore throats and jaw pain. This disease is serious because it not only affects the person stricken but also those around them with symptoms like impatience, bleeding ears and neck pain (usually caused from trying to shut Em's bedroom door and throwing my head back because she always says "just one more thing", which is, of course, after the six "one more things" she's already had to tell me.)

I'm laying in bed this morning at 7:15 and I hear Em's door open. She comes in our room, goes to the bathroom and at 7:18 climbs in bed with me. Now I don't get up til 7:30 so I still had 12 minutes of sleep to get. Not gonna happen. She immediately starts talking and these are the parts i remember.

E-Can you sew my bunny? She has a hole in her neck.
J-Mmmhmm
E-I know how long I've had this bunny...seven years...I know how long a year is...January, February, March (all the months in between) November, December. We're in March now. The rainy month.
....a blessed moment of silence...
E-Remember when we took you to the airport?
J-Mmmhmm
E-I used to cry when you or daddy would leave. I used to think you would get in a plane crash. If dad was gone and there was a robber...was dad a police officer?
J-No
E-Never?
J-No
E-I know why dad leaves when it's still nighttime...cause it takes him a long time to get to work.
J-No it's just still dark in the morning.
E-How long does it take dad to get to work?
J-Fifteen minutes.
E-I know how long fifteen minutes is. You count to one then wait for an hour.
...the radio comes on and I roll over to turn it off...
E-No! I like this song. (slight pause) I thought you were going to tell me that if I didn't like your nails I couldn't like this song. Your fingernails look like rotten blueberries.

And on that note I rolled out of bed.

Four weeks is better than four months

So it's been four weeks and I've not blogged again. I know I must have a few things to list out from the last month so here they are in no particular order.

--This one is fresh in my mind cause she said it last night while we were finishing her project at 8:00. Talk about procrastination. Emily is the star student this week and had to make a poster about herself. It is supposed to include likes, dislikes, pictures of her and her family...stuff like that. So we were having a hard time coming up with things she doesn't like. She loves veggies, football, dirt and bugs. there's not a whole lot left for a first grader to dislike. So we were flipping through magazines and she says "can I cut out a bra?". She ain't no dummy.

--The boys start lacrosse practice this week. I'm excited to see what all the hype is about. I know nothing about the game other than it's rough and you get to hit people with sticks. Sounds like a good time will be had by all. Unless you are the guy that just got hit with a stick.

--Since it's been a week since i started this the boys both had their first practice. They have practice at the same time so rob took Austin and i took Taylor. Yay for us there are 9 boys from Taylor's football team on his lacrosse team. We were really hoping to get everyone on the same team but the lacrosse people were a little grumpy about making our own team. I guess nine is better than none.

--With both boys playing we are pretty much going to be busy six days a week. They each practice three times and have two games. unfortunately they aren't on the same days. I feel a lot of crock pot meals coming on.

--I got some new nail polish and actually painted my finger nails. I went with China Glaze Reggae to Riches. Fabulous. I had an OPI color picked out but chose this instead. I bought it for my toes because they are always painted and I am getting tired of the colors I have. I painted my pinkie to see if I liked it and lo and behold i loved it so all my fingers got a coat. It has been years since I painted my finger nails. Like, probably close to five or six or seven. Maybe longer. I hate painting my nails but this I can handle for a while.

--Rob bought Austin cleats the other day and he is in a 10 1/2. Rob only wears a 9 1/2 so he's in eighth grade and already passed his dad. I think next comes uncontrollable eating.

--We also just registered him for high school. High school?!

--I've become a spray painting fool. If it's not nailed down it's getting a coat.

--Rob mentioned yesterday that Easter is just around the corner which means it's time for us to host our annual Easter dinner. I'm not sure if I'm ready for that yet.

--I'm still working out five days a week. Tyler measured me last Friday and I'm still going strong. I lost a pound of body fat in 20 days. Not bad. My only issue is I keep losing body fat and gaining muscle so my weight is staying the same. For this girl that wanted to be 125 pounds it's driving me crazy.

--101 days til Argentina!!!

What to say

I finally figured out why it's so hard for me to blog anymore. My kids are gone. I used to have funny stories, things they said and pictures to post but now it's just me. All day. And it's not like I lead a glamorous life. Five days a week my life consists of:
-getting up
-getting the kids up
-getting them ready and off to school
-getting myself ready and off to the gym
-working out
-lunch
-shower
-doing stuff around the house
-waiting for the kids to get home
-dinner
-getting the kids ready for bed
-watching The Office and Roseanne
-lights out at 10:30

Are you still awake? Thrilling isn't it? There has to be something worth writing about doesn't there? Let me think real hard.

OK. Here goes.

Between August 2009 and December 22, 2009 I lost 18 1/2 pounds. I still have a bit to go but am so proud of what I have accomplished so far.

I went jean shopping yesterday and the girl in the Gap dressing room called me petite. Ummm I don't think I have ever been called petite. Ever.

I love my friends. I don't have a lot of friends but I absolutely love my close friends. I love that I can be who I am with them. No false pretenses. We just sort of fit together. Good and bad. We each bring something to the table and I love that.

I haven't scrap booked in a year. It's a shame because I have so much to do but I'm just not feeling it. I'm hoping the feeling will come back soon.

Austin has graduated out of the kids section and is now into young men's. Oy vey.

New Year

I've pondered many times what to write for my first post of the new year. I've been out of the blogging loop for so long I've wondered if it's something I want to keep doing. In the past I could not wait to log on in the morning and write the happenings, although usually quite mundane, of my days and weeks. Over the years it has started to feel like a chore. Something else I have to do in my day. But then I go back and read memories. Thoughts. All the mundane things that I do day in and day out and I remember why I blog. Not only for me but for my kids. My family. And all my friends who love the ho hum of life. So they can read my thoughts and relive memories that they will have forgotten in years to come. All that to say my mind is made up...here's to a new year of blogging!

WOW!

Two months???? Really??? I'm not sure where the time has gone, or what i've been doing that has kept me away, but I plan to be back here very soon to catch up.

What's new

Well not a whole lot. Just life.
Well there is one thing. Austin is 14 today!!! Holy cow when did that happen. Aren't I too young to have a 14 year old?! Even though he drives me absolutely crazy sometimes I love the devil out of that kid. Happy Birthday bud!

Taylor has one more game this weekend and then we are done with football. They have done so well as a team. I absolutely love watching them play. And this last game was a nail biter. We were in Emmett and were ahead with only a couple minutes left. The other team ran down the clock and got a touchdown with only 40 seconds left. We were crushed. It only took a couple plays before we also scored a touchdown...and got the extra point, which they hadn't done all day. You should've seen all of us jumping up and down in the bleachers like fools. We were ecstatic! By this time there were only twelve seconds left and we were up by two but we were still afraid that they were going to run the ball down the field and score another touchdown before the clock was out. Just picture all of the parents on the edge of the field waiting for those twelve seconds to run out. Emmett hikes the ball, the quarterback throws it and BOOM! interception! Our guy ran it down the field for another touchdown. 32-24!

And. The. Crowd. Goes. Wild!!!

Wild I say! Jumping. Screaming. High fives. It was like the Fiesta Bowl all over again. After we got calmed down and were on our way home Taylor says, "After that game I'll always believe in miracles". Won't we all.

Just do it

That is what I need to do. Just blog. I keep trying to recap the last few months and it just isn't working so I'm just starting from now. We continue to stay busy and I'm more than ready for a break.

Let me regress just a little. Taylor started tackle football at the end of August. We started with practice five nights a week until games started and now we are down to four. It has totally thrown me off having work around practice but he is loving every minute of it and that makes it worth all the extra work. Plus I am making new friends. Three of the moms I talk with are Christians and are active in their churches. The kids will be together for four years so I can't wait to see what develops.

He plays center(the guy with the ball)

I think he is just about the cutest thing in a helmet and shoulder pads that I've ever seen. I can hardly stand it!

Along with Taylor I started a new adventure. It's called working out. I have been going to Gold's for about five weeks now. I even got a trainer. Skye and I have been going five days a week doing all kinds of weight lifting and classes including Body Combat, Body Pump, Yoga, Body Step and even Body Jam.

It was a hip hop class.

Not my proudest moment.

My goal is to lose 25 pounds and I'm down six so far. There is a video on their website that says "fitness is a battle...welcome to the front line". That's what I feel like sometimes. It is a huge battle both physically and emotionally but the results I am seeing make me want to keep going back and win this war.

I did the Women's Fitness Celebration with Beth and Steph this past weekend. Fun girl time.

And that's about it. Now we move forward.

Time...What's that?

Why do I feel like I have less time now that the kids are in school? Life has been a little crazy around here lately. Let me fill you in

June and July

-Camping. We camped a lot this year. So much so that just when I thought if I had to pack up and drive another two hours to be dirty for a whole weekend I would go crazy...we went one more time.

-We went to the Greek Food Festival with the Duggan's and Rich and Steph and I'm starting to think we aren't supposed to go. We have been two times and both times its rained. And not just a little rain. It pours. Buckets. Just sort of needing an ark. We had a fun evening and I always come away from it wishing I were Greek.

-My mom turned 60. We had a lovely birthday dinner for her at our house. It was perfect.

.

-The Smith side went to Cascade for a relaxing weekend. It was heaven.

-Emily got the helmet of her dreams.

This took me a lot longer than I thought so August will be coming shortly.

Where did August go?

Goodness gracious where did the month of August go? I don't think I've ever gone a whole month without blogging. It has been a long time. Now that the kids are in school I should be able to keep this thing up to date.

Since today was the first day of school I will post those and update later this week.

First grade. Where did the time go?
4Th grade and growing like a weed.

8Th grade. This was the only picture we got of him smiling.

Since the kids go to a magnet school most of the neighborhood kids attend a different school than mine. Not anymore. Both neighbors that my kids play with the most got in this year.

Emily, Matt, Hailey and Taylor

Welcome to the world!

Jovi Shea Davis Smith

8lbs

20 1/2"

Welcome to the world precious Jovi.

Your auntie has been waiting a long time to love on those chunky cheeks.

Playing catch up

I have been a little behind on blogging lately. OK, a lot behind. We have had so much going on this summer and not quite enough time to get it on here. I guess I will start way back at the beginning and go from there. It might take a few days to catch up so hang on.

I celebrated my 33rd birthday with these gals. Love them. We went to Bardenay and had a wonderful girls night. We were all a little sad that it would be a while till we could have another because of all the baby bumps present but so happy to spend the time out.

We then turn to the first of many camping weekends. This one was spent with our much loved friends the Duggan's and the Hamilton's. It was a rainy weekend but we were prepared and had lots of laughs and good times with his crew.

Due to the rain there was a constant fire going...

lots of playing in wet sand...

and a couple trips to the hot springs with these pool honeys.About two hours after our group photos were taken it started to rain and didn't stop. I thought we were going to have to build an ark. Unfortunately it was so rainy that we had to pack up a day early and head home. What a weekend!

Ride like the wind, bullseye!

**warning! lots of very large pictures ahead**

This is what we did last night.

Our precious little baby girl, the one I prayed for, the one I dressed in everything pink I could find, the one who loves dance class, has been wanting to ride her dirt bike. We took it to the cabin and she rode around up there but she wanted the training wheels off. When we got home Rob obliged and we took her and Taylor out last night to do their thing.

She's getting a little pep talk and instructions from daddy.

There they go...

In the meantime I have this guy to keep me company. Taylor is quite the kid. He's afraid to sleep upstairs by himself, but put a throttle in his hand and he thinks he's invincible.

I love this shot!!! I think I will edit out the power lines (thank you photoshop!) and enlarge it for his room.

She still wasn't too sure about this whole thing. Rob said she was scared and ready to get off. But like the good parents we are, let's not bring up the ear piercing incident, he wouldn't let her. He kept encouraging and miraculously she stayed on and kept going.

And then this happened.

And we still have Taylor speeding around.

She's a natural. The girl amazes me.

I think she was having fun.

Her first request is a hot pink helmet.

We'll get right on that.

Special Delivery

Coming to Megan and Ben, February 2010

taking off

We are going to put our new purchase to the test this weekend. We're going camping! I have so much to do. Clothes to pack, food to buy, camping bins to go through. It's too much! Thankfully it's always worth it.

I have a prayer request for all of you warriors out there. My brother has been having some health problems. He went to the doctor that sent him to a neurologist who thinks he has been having small seizures for a year. He is scheduled for a brain scan in two weeks but in the meantime has had swelling in his feet and shortness of breath which is more of a heart/circulatory system problem. He is trying to get into the cardiologist today or next week when we get back. Please pray that whatever is going on they can figure out and get taken care of.

I also had to add these pictures of my girl. What a rough life she leads.

Home away from home

This is our new home away from home. 168 square feet of camping bliss.
eight foot ceilings.
hinged door.
light in the ceiling.
self rolling windows.
when we saw it put together at sam's club it was bigger than we thought.
when we came home and set it up in our backyard we knew we would probably be laughed out of every campground we go to.
but we don't care.
it fits all of us, all of our stuff and, short of a sink and toilet, has everything we need.

For Today

Outside my window...the sun is finally shining

I am thinking...about our great weekend with friends.

I am thankful for...being warm and dry this morning.

From the kitchen...there are sloppy joes waiting for dinner.

I am wearing...jammies. brown capris and my green boston t shirt.

I am creating...a colorful quilt.

I am going...to be unpacking camping stuff and drying it out all day.

I am reading...several books and magazines.

Around the house...it's pretty clean. i always like to come home to a clean house so i picked up and cleaned before we left.

One of my favorite things...when a smell brings back a memory.

A few plans for the rest of the week...rob is off so we don't have any big plans. relaxing and maybe the water park.

A picture to share...

Behind on summer blogging

I've had my birthday since being on here last. The big 3-3. Oh geez. Rob got me Krispy Kremes to start the day then he took me to Marsing to pick up five 'new to me' chairs. The other four don't have arms but I love them. And I love Craig's list. They need to be repainted and recovered, along with my other two. I can't wait.

Speaking of repainted, I am going to repaint my living/dining rooms and kitchen. I need to brighten things up a little. The darker colors are bringing me down. I want a light tan color that will go with anything. I think. I have four paint chips up on my wall that I am contemplating but if you have any great paint colors let me know.

I also need to get Emily's room repainted so I can get her room decorated.

I found this adorable headboard while I was antiquing yesterday. I love it!!! It will look lovely on one of my walls just as soon as I can get them painted...

This is a quilt I am working on. So colorful.

Rob took the boys on a dirt bike/camping adventure. They rode till they were tired, found a spot to set up a tent, slept, then rode some more. And geocached. My garden is coming along nicely. Things are sprouting and bugs are eating. We have to take a trip to Zamzows and find out what we can spray so my plants actually have leaves.

I went over to Lori's on Thursday to help her pack up. I didn't have a set time to go or leave I just went and planned to stay as long as she needed help. Well 10 hours, multiple boxes, lots of talking and laughing, a few tears, some good ole fashion dust bunnies and a dog bite later we said goodbye.
I think that about catches me up for now. We are going camping this weekend with the Duggan's and the Hamilton's so I should have plenty of stories to share when we come home.

7 kids

6 parents

3 families

1 weekend

Baumgartner here we come.