On the road again

Actually it probably should read on the plane again since we leave for Cordoba, Argentina bright and early tomorrow. We are travelling down to work with Sasha and Maria Silvia as they try to reach the youth of Cordoba for Christ.

I am thrilled.

Excited beyond words.

But I feel a little unprepared. Although we have planned for this trip for over a year it seemed to come out of nowhere and suddenly we are leaving tomorrow.

I have a couple prayer requests. First for our traveling safety. The older my kids get the more I think about this. Second for our kids while we are gone cause it gets hard on them after a while. And finally that we would accomplish whatever it is God wants us to do while we are there. We have an awesome group going and I am so excited to spend the next eleven days with them.

Well most of them ;o)

I also thought of another request...pray that we stay warm. They don't have central heating where we are staying, or many places for that matter, and I don't do well in the cold. Especially showering when it's 49 degrees outside.

See you all on the 21st! I am going to try to post pictures on facebook while we are gone so if you want any updates check there.

What a weekend!

Saturday I got to attend celebrations for two special women. The first was a bridal shower for my cousin Becca who is getting married in August. It was a sweet shower filled with food, laughter and sunshine.

Top row:Landry, Marlene, Roc, Becca, Natalie

Bottom row:Lizzy(with soon to be baby boy #2), Me, Mom, Theresa

The second celebration was a bachelorette pajama dance party for Alyssa. We had a blast!!! We ate and danced and danced and danced some more.

The bride to be

Last but not least was the wedding for Alyssa and Randall. It was a beautiful ceremony followed by more dancing and eating...two of my favorite things.

I had to post this picture of Emily and Rob because when Rob went to get her to dance for the father/daughter dance she ran away. Wanted no part of it. Something about being embarrassed. She finally gave in and spent the rest of the evening dancing her little buns off.

She was dancing with Alyssa here and I'm pretty sure she was over the moon.

Here is the beautiful bride. We wish them all the love and happiness in the world!

One man's junk...

The whole family headed to Sumpter Oregon last weekend for the big flea market they hold three times a year and did we have a good time. The treasures I brought home...oh the treasures! Unfortunately I had to leave more there than i wanted to but you can guarantee we will be back.

First up is this lovely bowl. I simply couldn't pass it up.

I got two Pyrex bowl for $3.50.


I got this wooden fork for 25 cents. I can't tell if it is an old fork that was functional or if someone just carved it as a decoration. Either way I loved it when I saw it. The Nehi bottle cap is something I had been looking for for a while. When we were younger my brother and I would spend time with our grandparents who lived in Wimer, Oregon. It is a teeny tiny town complete with a covered bridge. We spent many a day walking that road across the covered bridge to the ice house that sat just on the other side. Inevitably each time I would get a blue Nehi in a bottle and every time my grandpa would tell me it looked like I was drinking battery acid. I was so happy to find that bottle cap in memory of our days there.

I saw this set from across the way and practically ran to it. Sometimes there are things you just have to have. You don't know why but they call to you. This was one of those things. I can't pinpoint why I love it but I do. And for $7 I think it was worth it.

This set makes me smile. I love the color, I love the size of the pieces, I love the handles on the bowl. I love it all!

I have come to the conclusion that I love stemware. All colors, all designs. They had some great sets but this was the one that made it home. The orange is fabulous and I love that the stem and base is a different color. They are so bright and fun.

Looking forward to Labor day when I can do it all again!

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.