Christmas 2008

These pictures uploaded in reverse order, so we're going to go back in time. This is McKinley's masterpiece on her new easle from Grandma and Grandpa. She drew a tree with birds, flowers, the son, and clouds. It was very well narrated as she drew and the final product demanded a photograph. She loves the easle and all the dry erase markers she got from Grandpa when he was here go with it perfectly. The other side is a chalkboard, so we need to get some chalk so she can explore that medium of art.

This is Evan happily consuming the products of his "donut maker". Evan had requested a true donut maker machine since he first saw the advertisement on TV. Well that little machine is quite expensive and not nearly practical enough for the Smith family. But we had to grant this wish to Evan...so we got a book all about donuts and a deep fryer that we can create all these treats (and other more practical dishes) in.

David waited patiently for his presents. He wasn't very surprised by his gifts as he continued the family tradition of buying his own presents (things he knows he wants) and having me wrap them up. I don't get it, but he's always happy with his gifts!! This year it was a new Blackberry phone and a chin-up bar.

Austin was thrilled with his Salt Lake Real (MLS soccer team) gear. We got this jersey and a ball. He's a true fan who watched each game on the Soccer Channel...the most watch channel on our TV!! He also got a ticket to fly out to Utah and do some skiing with his dad, so he'll be on the loose for a few days in Utah in January.

Ethan should be smiling bigger in this picture after his joyous Christmas. Santa surprised the heck out of him by granting his seemingly impossible wish of an electric scooter. He was overjoyed by the gift and hasn't stopped riding it yet...except when it's out of charge!!

And the princess also got some wheels. After opening her Hello Kitty PJ's on Christmas Eve she was content, but the new pink bike from Santa put her over the top. She has thoroughly enjoyed Christmas and truly loved watching everyone open their presents.

And there is not picture of Nina...but I had a great Christmas too. I loved seeing the joy on the kids faces and bringing them gifts I knew they would love...the fun part of Christmas for any parent. My gifts...a garbage can (a stainless steel one I have been admiring for a while) and a new watch (maybe I'll know what time it is now).

Now it's on to New Years....

Christmas Cuties

Christmas Eve in Texas 2008 was fun. It was a little silly too....we did our tradition of new pj's as a present. I also added a family game and a new movie to make a full tradition. Well, I thought I got a good movie, one of those nastalgic buys...Gremlins. A cute furry movie from the 80's. Not. It is creepy, those Gremlins hatch and they are scarey, and ugly and mean!! We ended up turning that movie off. Luckily the game was a hit. It was called Doodle Dice...a little like Yatzee with pictures. We had a great time with that game. Then it was off to bed so Santa could do his magic...and awaiting Christmas morning!! More about that later...

I'm still here

I'm still here...I just can't seem to think of anything to blog about. My days are busy and I don't find myself boring, but when I think about what to blog it's nothing. This week started with Sharing Time in Primary and Monday I was able to sleep in and read an entire book in bed!! That was such a treat. Today I had work in the morning and then I picked up my dad from the airport and came home to get things in order for Christmas. I think we're all ready now, so I can enjoy tomorrow...do a little pre-Christmas dinner baking and last minute wrapping. I won't have to brave the crowds to pick up anything at the store. I have loved receiving all the Christmas cards that have come in the mail. Look for our card to be a New Years card sometime in early 2009. Merry Christmas to all!!

A cold and cold

It finally got me...the dreaded cold. And it is a double whammy...I've got a horrible, sneezy, itchy, coughy, irritable feeling head cold AND it's cold outside. I mean really cold. Well, really Texas cold I guess. It is not going to get above the freezing point at all today. Boo hoo. So for my cold I can take Sudafed and Benadryl, but what can you do about the cold outsdie? Stay home (not and option), build a fire (a great idea), and drink hot chocolate. I think I'll give it a try once I get off work today. Bundle up, stay warm...inside and out!!

Enjoying Jagg

We've had Jagg now for almost two weeks and it's been a lot of fun. The kids have enjoyed the puppy for the most part and he's learned so much. We found out after we got him that he was sick...he had caught something from the kennel he grew up in. Luckily the lady who sold him to us reimbursed us for all the vet trips and medication and was helpful and concerned about her puppy. So were we. We just felt bad for the poor guy. But he's getting better now and is learning the house rules. Turns out this dog likes to be inside. He whines when he's outside and doesn't like to be out even when the kids are out there. But we're working on that. The idea was that he'd be out when they were and in when we were, so we'll see. I think he's just liking the comforts of home. He's very attached to me (since I work with him the most) and follows me everywhere.

Evan has begun to overcome his fear of dogs. We're not sure where or when he started being very afraid of dogs, but he is/was. He's especially afraid of big dogs. He once got jumped on by a big puppy that scratched his face and I guess that was pretty scarey (it would be!!). But he's learning to be confident and strong around our dog so the dog knows who's above who on the totem pole. I don't want Evan at the bottem once this dog is bigger. So it's been a good experience so far and we're keeping our fingers crossed that we'll still be enjoying Jagg in the years to come. I'm sure we will, they bring so much love to the house.

And we've officially named him:

Sir Jagg von Weimaraner.

That's quite a regal name, don't you think!?!

It's over...for now

We're back home today from Corpus and the Western Districts. What a busy and long day yesterday was. It all started with a 5:30am wake up call and then three long hard games of soccer throughout the day. It was intense and so much fun. The second game at 11am was a successful win 3-1. The final game of the day was not so good...our guys just ran out of steam. The other team was fired up to beat the leaders and they did. They outhustled our boys and "wanted" it more. Luckily our two wins earlier had secured our place as 2nd place and a spot in the semi-finals today. We traveled home late last night and wished the team good luck. Austin doesn't play on Sundays and the coach has always been supportive of that. He does try bribery and threats of kidnapping to allow Austin to stay, but all in jest. Austin's thoughts were with his team all morning as he thought of them having to play the #1 team from the other bracket. It was going to be a really tough game for the team. But we were hopeful they would pull it off. But alas, it was not so. We lost the game 8-3 and that ended our Fall season. Very successful, 4th in Districts, but still disappointing to the boys right now. We'll celebrate another sucessful season sometime this week with a big party.

Part of me in glad that soccer is over. It's such a crazy time for us and the kids. But on the other hand the kids just love it and I'm turning into a crazy soccer mom myself. I love watching and supporting them and I'm actually in awe of their dedication and determination and stamina as I watch them practice and play. It's a proud time for this mom!! But I'll take the break..regroup...reorganize and get ready for the spring season. After all, in Texas the spring season starts practicing the end of January...so I don't have long to wait....

We to go Rangers!! Good job Austin!!

Crushed the Crush!!

Wow...we did it!! We beat the number one team in our district 3-0. We were hoping to score on them (they didn't have anyone score on them the entire season) and we got max points with our 3-0 win. The boys ALL played great and played together so well. It was a huge win for us...mentally and physically. The boys are so proud and excited. We're off to our next game at 11, against a team we have never played, so we hope to have good news to report later. We're checking out of the hotel, so you might have to wait until tonight for more news. Stay tuned.

Wish us luck...

We're off this afternoon to Corpus Christi Texas for Austin's Western Disctrict soccer tournament. His team has worked really hard and earned a spot as the #3 team for Districts. There are going to be some tough teams there...including #1 who we play at 7am tomorrow. Yes, 7am. So that means we have to be at the field at 6:20am. Wish us luck with that.

Austin has 3 games to play...7am...11am...and 3pm. That's a lot of soccer...good thing he lives for it. This is his idea of a perfect weekend I'm sure. We're excited to go and support him and we will be cheering him on. We'll return and report on Sunday....

The Aftermath

Now that Grandma and Grandpa have left I'm alone with my house. The kids are all at school and my house is still. Sad, sad. It's always hard when family leaves...there's such a void to fill. Luckily I have little Jagg here who definitely wont let me waste away. And I've got laundry, floors, bathrooms, bedding, yard work and house projects to get me through. It was a lovely visit and now it's time to get back to the grind. I think I just heard the buzzer on the 3rd load of laundry...I better go fold it!

A strained relationship...

So my blog has become like an old friend that you fall out of touch with. What will you say when you call? What if it's awkward? I've changed, had new experiences, how can I repair the relationship? And so I'd wait another day...and so now it's been two weeks. But you've got to make the first move to get reacquainted with my blog friends. After all, I don't think my blog is going to take the reigns. So here goes.

Grandma and Grandpa are here visiting us. We've had a lot of fun walking, playing games, and eating. The day after they got here we went to Sea World. It was a wonderful day for it with a cool start and a high in the 70s. Very different from the 90's during the summer when we usually head straight for the waterpark. We were able to enjoy the shows...Shamu, the Sea Lions and Viva all in one day. We also fed the dolphins, looked at the draft horses, and rode a few rides. Ethan even finished the year off with his first big rollercoaster...and he liked it. We're excited about that and Austin may have a partner for his daring rollercoaster rides next year!!

Posing with the SeaWorld Christmas tree.

Moments before the "Big Drop"!!

Of course we had Thanksgiving, which went really well, with everyone really eating at the table and enjoying the meal. We had all the usual...turkey, rolls, potatoes, green beans (not in a casserole) and cranberry sauce. That was followed by pumpkin cheesecake and lemon pie. We were very satisfied and Thankful. That night Dave and I took advantage of our willing babysitters and took off for an overnight adventure to Houston.

Making shortbread with Grandma (batch #1)

We had a little surprise in mind for the kids, but we also had a nice evening and day in Houston. While we were there we went to pick out the newest member of our family...a puppy!! We met 5 dogs of various ages and had no problem choosing our new friend as he continually came up to us and played with us. After a long drive home we presented our "gift" to the children who were overjoyed. They thought they would never see the day that we had a dog and here was a puppy!! It's a big job and we're knee deep into it now, but we love the little guy. His name is Jag, or Jagger, or Jaggy...depending on the person calling him.

Isn't he cute?

So old friend, let's keep in touch. I'll do my best, and remember I'm always thinking about you.

Anyone wanting to go to SLC...IMPORTANT

I know there are a lot of people who follow this blog that might be interested in flying to SLC. Well SWA is having a 50% off deal to SLC from their cities. The dates are 12/3 - 2/11 (with blackout dates from 12/18-1/4). So if you want to go the beginning of December or right after the new year you'll get a good deal on SWA. Must book by Tuesday 11/18. Just enter FLYSLC in the promotions code box. Just thought I'd share. Happy planning!!

BRRRRRRRRR.................

So it does get cold here...we had to turn on the heat this morning. We got our first frost last night and the house was a chilly 58 degrees this morning. It feels good now, but we've brought in some firewood to have a nice fire tonight during FHE (family home evening). It is beautifully sunny, so if you sit inside in front of the window you can get nice and toasty. I learned this trick from our smart cat who was curled up in the sun after spending a cold night outside.

Soccer has ended for Ethan's team with a two game winning streak. His team should be labeled most improved as they really came a long way this year. We're looking forward to the spring season with the kids knowing each other better and playing as a team like they have been at the end of the season. We're so proud of Ethan...he's a real leader of the defense on the field. He helps remind kids where to be and works together with the other defenders to get the job done.

Austin's soccer season is hopefully not over. They won their game on Saturday 8-0 and we think they are going to Western Districts, but it depends on the unlikely outcome of another game that was played between the #1 and #6 team. If #6 pulled off an upset they might move into 3rd place and push us out of districts. So we have to wait and find out about that game to find out. I'm hoping the coach will call soon to let the boys know. They will be very disappointed if we don't make it. They have gone to Districts both of last years seasons (fall/spring) and were gearing up to go this fall. We'll let you know.

I have finished painting the kitchen and almost the family room. It's been a very rewarding project to see the change...mostly to see the dirty smudgy fingerprints covered up with clean new paint!! It's the simple pleasures in life that make it a great day. I'll put up pictures when it's done....that should be by Wednesday of this week.

Other than that we're just trucking right along. It's hard to believe we're getting ready for Thanksgiving and thinking about Christmas. It goes by so fast.

Veteran's Day

Just a quick shout out to all our Veterans this day. Please remember to teach your kids about this day and to take time to remember and honor our military heroes. So many of the freedoms that we enjoy are because of the things they had to endure. God bless this country and our armed forces!!

The downside to mild winters

It has taken me a while to think of a downside to the awesome weather of Texas. I love it most of the time. The hotter the better and the longer it's hot and/or warm I'm good. So I'm usually happy with our mid-November 80 degree weather. But I have found that it doesn't make for good soup and stew weather. Who wants to simmer a pot of Lion House stew for 3 hours when the AC is doing it's darndest to keep the house cool? It's a better idea to throw something on the BBQ outside and avoid any unnecessary heating of the kitchen. So many of my soups and stews have been neglected.

But I've also learned that warm and cold are relative. So when I woke up this morning to the cloudy, maybe rainy skies that the weatherman predicted would only reach 76 for a high...I made some good stew and baked some homemade rolls. Very domestic I know. I'm enjoying a nice lunch with McKinley and we might even get to make a fire tonight if it dips into the 50's. After all that's freezing for around here!!

Christmas Shopping?

What happened the Thanksgiving holiday season? It seems like we jump straight from Halloweeen to Christmas overload. There is Christmas music on the radio and every aisle at Target is covered in lights and greenery. I guess it works though because I found myself browsing the aisles looking for Christmas present ideas for the loved ones on my list. And I even bought a few things. I guess you can't start too early to avoid the last minute rush, but I'd like to enjoy my big, fat turkey Thanksgiving dinner first!!

Early to bed...early to rise

"Early to bed, early to rise. Make a man healthy, wealthy and wise!!"

This phrase is usually my downfall...except for a night or two at daylight savings time. I just can't convince my body that the clocks have changed. I am tired at 8:30 at night and wide awake starting at 6 am with the sunlight...weird. Usually I am early to bed and late to rise...I love my sleep, but for two days a year I manage the early to rise part okay. I mean I always have to get up early, but for two days I'm not dragging myself reluctantly out of my warm, dark bed. I am awake, I'm actually ready to get out of bed. And then I get the hang of it and I'm back to my full night (and morning's) blissful rest!! I guess it's good for a few days...can I be wealthy and wise now??

Going for a drive!

I don't know how much gas costs around the country, but here in Texas we are LOVING the lower gas prices. It seems like every day I go out I see a lower price. Even the radio stations are getting in to it and people are calling in with the lowest prices they see. So this is my version of the lowest price so far (that I've seen). $2.07 per gallon for regular!! I filled up today for $25!! Now that is something I could get used to. I may even think of a road trip to go on just so I can drive through a whole tank. As my mom always says, I might try "going broke saving money"!!

FYI- The radio station says that gas is $1.89 on the west side of San Antonio. It might be time for a drive!

Happy Halloween

I know it's been a LONG while since I posted. My excuses are lame and I'll keep them to myself. I have been following and reading all your blogs, so don't falter like me. But with Halloween pictures to post I managed to find the time and the computer available for my use. So here's the kiddos...1 Ranger Apprentice, 1 soccer player (too cool), 1 wizzard, and one fairy princess. They are hoping to make a killing in the candy haul tonight...we'll see.

Just at the time that my boys are getting to wanting to be scarey and/or gross for Halloween I have my cute little girl that wants to be beautiful and girly. It was so fun to curl her hair and put it up and have her enjoy that kind of stuff. The boys are definitely easier, but there's something that just pulls on the heartstrings of my little girl...and my baby. Oh no, I'm in trouble.

We must be cursed!

Living away from our "home" state and "home" sports teams has definitely had it's disadvantages. We have repeated been to games where we get stared at for rooting for the away team. We've been all blue in a sea of red, green, purple, black, grey...you name it. We were there in Detroit at the Motor City Bowl when BYU got creamed. We got noisebleed seats to watch the Utah Jazz play the Detroit Pistons. And last year we scoured ebay bidding our minds out on playoff tickets for the Jazz-Spurs series. Remember the game when Utah got blown, I mean blown away...we were there! So when I realized that BYU was going to be 4 hours away in Dallas I had a great thought...we should go!! So for Austin's birthday (making big purchases seem like birthday presents makes me feel better) we got tickets to the TCU-BYU game. Little did we know when we bought them that BYU was going to have such a great year. We went into the game ranked 9th in the nation. This is going to be our year...until they heard that we were in the crowd. From the opening drive of the game I could feel the curse falling on the team. Two fumbles, a quick score by TCU on their first possession. This was not going to be good. And it wasn't. I watched my two men (on either side of me) wither and dry up in the presence of the cursed team. They were so angry and didn't have their normal outlet of yelling at the tv and walking around to "cool off". They just sat and steamed. It was sad....so sad. BYU just looked like schoolboys playing a college team. They didn't get it done...at all. So no more. I will not bring the curse to another event. We're only allowed to root for the home team...wherever that is!!

And there you have it...the final score TCU 32 BYU 7.

California Dreamin'

So I've been back from California awhile now and I still haven't blogged. This was one post that I just seemed to have a block on. I couldn't get back into the swing of blogging again...so here goes.

On Thursday October 2nd I went to work and knew that that afternoon I was going to hop a plane to California. It's kind of a surreal feeling to be sitting at your desk that morning and know that you'd be with loved ones on the west coast by the end of the day. It still amazes me how we can travel so freely and quickly.

Anywho... I arrived last in the group and found my way to the rental car. I realized that I really should have used a suitcase with wheels. We have several, probably 5 of them, but I chose to use a suitcase, dufflebag style that began to crash and scratch the outer layers off of my calf as I walked (limped) toward the rental counter. Luckily Long Beach airport is very small and I only had to cross the street and I was there. I got my cute little Mazda something zoom-zoom compact car and met up with the clan. They had arrived about an hour earlier and had gone to get something to eat. It all worked out pretty well. We were on our way to Dana Point and our first night. We arrived there about an hour later and it was dark. We quickly found our bedrooms and sleeping arangments and even achieved a quick grocery run to get us through the following morning. It was great to see everyone and be on our own schedule.

That first night I volunteered for the airmatress becuase it was in a room with blinds and I wanted to sleep in (one of my favorite things). Well, sleeping on a cold air matress is...cold!! I tossed and turned all too long and was one of the first people up in the morning, but it was still ok since I didn't have any responsibilities for the day. It's amazing how little sleep you need to just take care of yourself. I was fine.

We had a fine breakfast and were able to take in the incredible view of the house!!
As you can see we were up and about 1/2 a mile from the ocean. It was incredible. We had a patio outside where I frequently found myself reading my book and/or sitting and watching the happening of the sea (surfers, fishing boats, helicopter tours, birds, etc.) It was very peaceful.

In the morning we went for a long walk along the beach and back up through the neighboring Ritz Carlton property. It was a hilly walk and the beach walking was surprisingly strenuous too. After that we went to Costco (where else do you go to feed the masses) and got enough food for our army. We really wanted to eat in a lot and enjoy being together and saving a little money too. We got everything in order and headed to the beach. It was great to play in the sea water and get tangled in the seaweed that was very plentiful. We were looking for seashells and getting a little sun time. It got dramatically cooler about 4pm and we headed for the comforts of the house. We had a great dinner (thanks Lisa!!) and an evening of talking and visiting, followed by 2 movies (I only made it through one!) That night I opted to take my chances sleeping in another bedroom---the bed with Allison and baby Camden. He was an angel and I got a great night's sleep.

Just take a look at this cutie:
The next day was General Conference for our church ( a broadcast from SLC) that we watched on the TV after we had a great breakfast (what's vacation if you don't eat well!!). It was inspiring and uplifted to hear those great talks and ideas. Then we headed out to the Orange County Swap Meet. We weren't looking for anything in particular, just all those things we didn't know we needed. I didn't find anything, but many of the group got new sunglasses and a new purse, shirt, or scrapbook supplies too. We also ended up near the produce sellers who were selling fabulous fruits and veggies at incredible prices. We got clams of raspberries 3 for a $1 and there were key limes, peaches, oranges and more. If I lived there I would have been in heaven every weekend!! Here's Cynthia with her cool new green purse:

After walking around for all those hours we needed more food. This was our one outing out to dinner. We went to a place that Sandee knew about that was good food with a great view. Well, the view was "under construction" and all covered up, but it was good food. Here's a shot of some of the group enjoying our dinner:

That night was again followed by a walk on the beach and more visiting (we can really talk!!) That night I slept on the Futon in the family room and it was great too. We didn't sleep in like I thought we would but it was plenty of sleep and again, no responsibilities so I didn't need a lot. Sunday was of course, a Sabbath day, filled with General Conference and a walk on the beach, followed by a church movie, "Emma, my story". It was a very inspiriting and uplifting day. It was sort of a renewal for all of us mothers, sisters, students, wives, etc. It was a great getaway to get recharged and ready to head back to our families.

Monday was the final day for most of the group. We packed up our things and cleaned up a little bit. Some of the group were heading to the beach and some wanted to head to the Aquarium in Long Beach. I was able to meet quickly with two old roomates from BYU and grab lunch at the Harbor. It was great to see them again after 13 years or more. It was quick, but fun. We then said some goodbyes and headed to the Aquarium. We really enjoyed the aquarium and found some fascinating things. The most incredible thing I learned about was this shark egg.
I don't know exactly how this worked, but this was pushed up against the glass and you could see the little guys in there. They were set to "hatch" in January. It was fascinating.

After I dropped everyone at the airport and made my way home in the California rush hour traffic I came to the house and got to enjoy this sunset. It was by far the most beautiful sunset we'd seen so far.
The next morning I got up and said goodbye to Cynthia (who was driving home to Arizona) and drove again in the rush hour traffic to the airport. I had a peaceful and uneventful trip home and a joyful reunion with my family. This was a great trip and I'm so glad everyone worked together to enjoy ourselves. We did it!!

Chocolate Fun

Last night I hosted a Girl's Night Out with a couple in home "parties" and we used the chocolate fountain. The kids were banned from the beginning of the party so we could visit and shop and all (Thanks hun for taking the kids to the pool!) and when they got back from that they were ready to dig in. After numerous drips and drops and in the mouth bites they were delighted. I snapped a picture of McKinley who showed the most damage from the experience. We had strawberries, mini-marshmallows, pretzels, angel food cake, and brownies for our dipping pleasure.
It was a good time as you can see!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BIG MAN!!!

Can you believe it...Austin is 12!! Wow, how did that happen?


Birthdays can really make you look back and reflect the years that have passed. Especially when it's for your oldest child. I remember when he was born and his hospital hat covered the cone head kid. I remember his first food...pizza at age 4 months!! I remember his walking at 8 months...way before he had any idea about steps and drop offs. I remember having to turn the doorhandle around for his "time-outs" and his throwing things at the door. I remember playing soccer with him when the ball was half his size. I remember his daring, exploring, smart little toddlerhood. I remember sending him off to preschool, then kindergarten, then middle school... I remember it all and it's been an adventure.

Austin's birthday was a lot of fun. He was up early to receive his big gift...his new IPOD!! Yep, he finally got one, probably when he least expected he would. It's really fun and he's been loading it up with all sorts of good sounds and sights. Then he was off to school and to anticipate the rest of his presents that we would celebrate with him after dinner. Luckily the mailman brought his presents just in the nick of time (we're still waiting on one!!) and we had a nice dinner and cake and let him open some more presents. Thanks to Grandparents he had quite a great spoiling. Thanks family!! You only turn 12 once!! And I think it was a good one for Austin this year.

And if there was any question about it being fun to be twelve this is the year that we told him he could have a big birthday bash. Yes, it seemed a long ways away when I promised him he could, but it's here now and so....we're off to LaserQuest on Friday with 20, yes 20!! of his closest friends to play laser tag and have pizza and cake!! Wow, it will be a blast. Yeah, we love you Austin.

The Youngest

So when you're the youngest and everyone is in school, what are you supposed to do? McKinley is kind of lost once all the boys go back to school. For the first few weeks I'm good to play Candyland and Dora matching. But come on, can anyone really play those games more than once a day for two weeks? So today when I was on the phone with an old friend...I took this picture of her playing Cinderella Bingo with her new friend:

Now notice the enthusiasm of the cat. I'm not sure that he really understands what he is supposed to do. Maybe if he gets enough practice he'll be able to take my place...at least once a day!! Go Max.

This one missed us...

I figured I better blog since the last time I did we were anticipating the storm of the year. Maybe you would think we were blown to bits and no longer standing. Well the truth is...Saturday was another typical Texas day...97 degrees hot and humid!! We did not see ANY effects of the storm that ravaged Houston and Corpus only 200 miles away. Weird. No rain, no clouds, less wind than normal.

Today we have a gorgeous cold front that was a pleasant surprise. It was only 70 this morning and it has only gotten up to 83 today!! What a relief. Of course everything for Saturday had been cancelled, even school got out early on Friday for us to prepare for the end. But luckily for San Antonio it was not to be.

Now we find ourselves as host city to the thousands of evacuees from Houston and Galveston for who knows how long. They need your thoughts and prayers, because from what I've heard and seen it was really bad and will be for quite some time. As with Katrina there have been a lot of people here that are not going to go back. Their houses are gone, their neighborhoods are leveled, the schools are flooded, there is no power, there is no water, there is nothing for them. And so we welcome them with open arms to our city and help them in any way that we can. Chins up...we'll all get through it.

Hurricane Ike

I thought it best to post a little about Hurricane Ike. This storm is on every network all day long. It's going to be a whopper of a storm...for those near Houston and Galveston. But for us in San Antonio it's going to be one big thunderstorm. The hype has been huge, and granted they didn't know quite where it was going to go at first, so better to be prepared...but it's just not going to make it here. I am thankful for that. Even so, I have turned my trampoline over and put rocks on it, I have brought in our patio furniture, and pushed things up against the house. I have filled two of our 55 gallon water containers and charged the batteries on the portable DVD players. I am ready for a day or two without power...if I have to. So even if nothing happens...I've done some of the emergency preparedness I should have been doing anyways. Thank you Ike!!

Girly Stuff

Monday was McKinley's first ballet/tap/tumbling class. Surprisingly to me she jumped right into the class. She loves to dance and sing at home, but experience has taught me that she becomes an entirely different person around new people. But she was great. She did everything the cute teacher taught her to do and hasn't stopped "practicing" at home since. She thinks she should have the class more often, but alas, only on Mondays.

For tap class they learned toe taps and toe tips, and a cute little step that really makes a lot of noise in those tap shoes. For ballet they went through all the positions and I must say that McKinley is a natural. So delicate and petite and soft with her movements. She just looks like a pretty balerina girl. But she was also awesome at the tumbling. Watching her brought back memories of my years of gymnastics and how much I loved it. Maybe she'll find a passion for one or all of these fun things. Or it might be something completely different for her...whatever she decides to do is fine. But, after 12 years of fun, rough and tough "boy" things, it was cute to watch my little girl be girly!!

Here's a video of her split rolls for the first time. She has already perfected this one at home and no longer needs the "lift" from mom to get going. She's ready to show that one to her teacher next Monday...if only it would come sooner.

The Beast Is Back

I was able to sleep in today. Finally. And tomorrow I can do it again thanks to late church now. I even stayed in bed to read a book this morning...wow, that was heavenly. You see, there were no soccer games today, that starts next week. The morning progressed equally serene as I got up to my cherubic children doing their Saturday chores without even being asked. I know, something was going on. Is it my birthday? Mothers Day? Maybe I slept in longer than I thought and it's Christmas...'cause I'm having a great day. It just keeps going...David took me to lunch and to our hometeacher's wedding sealing at the temple. Then we got home...

Two words: BYU Football. Now I sit here with the person who claims to be my husband screaming at his football team. Like they can hear him. Now don't get me wrong, I love football. And I share an admiration for my alma mater team. But I don't have to scream at each and every missed tackle, mistouch, misstep, mis-anything. I just cheer them on, stay positive. Luckily most of the games aren't televised on Dish. So I'll have my husband back.

A Sign of the Times

So Ethan came home yesterday all excited about his social studies homework. He absolutely loves his teacher (he was able to "loop" up with all his 4th grade teachers from last year) and so he gladly took on another student's work from his group project. I thought, "Wow, what a nice guy." and also had thoughts of "Shouldn't this child benefit from doing his own research", but you can't kill your son's offer of a kind act of service too early on. As the afternoon progressed Ethan got a little frustrated. You see, he was trying to figure out the parts of government. Ok, I remember: Legislative, Judicial, Executive...we're on a roll. But what exactly can you say about local government? Are we talking Mayor or City Council? What about County Commissioner? I couldn't explain. So what do you do when you don't know....www.ask.com. One look at my middle child's face and the explanation that came next was so sureal: "That's why "Jimmy" couldn't do this assignment. He's ONE of the two kids in my class that doesn't EVEN HAVE a computer at home!!" Can you believe it...the horror, not a single computer? That's when I had my moment of nostalgia remembering when we got our first computer, when I was 8 or so. Nobody had them then and we were cutting edge. I guess times have really changed.

Blog Setting

I'm thinking about making my blog more secure...ie. keeping out the crazies (at least the ones I don't know). Has anyone done this with their blog? It says I can add the people I want to invite and they will have to log in...will that stop you from reading? I just don't want too much information out there about my family...for those weirdos to get to us somehow? Any comments/ideas/suggestions?

Dad's Death Drills

So David decided yesterday that he was going to help our kids be better soccer players. They are already having 2 practices a week, but the kids want to take their game to the next level. They didn't have to talk Dave into that...he's all about DRIVE!! So on Tuesdays and Thursdays we now have practice with Dad from 6-7 in the backyard. He's got drills and more drills to help them with ball control and power kicking. They love it!! It's going to be such a fun thing to watch...from inside on my computer!!

Princess starts school

Today was the first day of Pre-K for our princess McKinley. She was so excited she could hardly sleep and was up, dressed, hair fixed, and ready with no trouble at all. It was great. She walked proudly into her new classroom, sat down at her desk and told me that "I could go now!". Well I guess that was that. She had a great day and is already asking about tomorrow. I hope the enthusiasm continues!!

Soccer Season Begins!!

Ok, so it's officially soccer season. 50% of our lives (fall and springs) are soccer seasons. Luckily I do really enjoy the season. I love seeing the boys progress and work together with their teammates. It's really exciting to watch them improve and to share in their joys. What I find not so enjoying is watching them lose. Austin's team participated in a pre-season tournament yesterday and lost both their games. The first game they deserved to lose...the just didn't bring their game, but the second game was dirty. Every time we had a fast break there would be a foul, usually a push from behind, that would stop the play and we'd lose the momentum. The referee was fed up with it too, and finally gave a red card to a player that shoved Austin to the ground, but the he couldn't do much else. The whole team took turns fouling. Now I hope they were just sloppy and a little too aggressive, but I wonder if they are coached in this behavior. We will see when we have to play them again. Sadly we lost 0-1 from a penalty kick foul of our own. Bummer. But as you can see from the picture, Austin does have a smile for the sport of soccer!!

First Day of School

Here's the happy crew on their first day back this past Monday. Can't you just sense the enthusiasm for Ethan and Austin?? ...all is well.

Goodbye

I thought this photo was too cute not to post. It was the afternoon we were leaving and it was a great goodbye. We love you Nana/Mom!!

Got my camera back!! Catching up.

Ok, so I got my camera back from leaving it behind in Utah (thanks Mischele for sending it). Now I can visually catch you up on our glorious vacationing this summer in Utah with our families. I'll go in chronological order:

After getting in late the night before David met up with Mischele to run a 5K race in Bluffdale. It was a beautiful morning and both runners did awesome. Somehow in all the excitement of the moment I agreed to join them next year??!!?! Must have been my runner's (spectator) high that brought that one out.

Austin and Ethan jetted off to be with Grandma Libby and Grandpa Irv in Montana. They were there to offer moral support and strong arms to help them pack for their new move!! They also played Yuccor (sp?) and visited the "awesome" city pool in Missoula.

Then, as requested, Allison had her baby a few weeks early so that we would be able to see him (Good job Alli!). We drove out to Neola, Utah (3 hours) to meet Camden Jeremy Davenport and to see Jeremy and Allisons gorgeous house. It was a great visit, complete with a viewing of "I Am Legend" and a sleep-over for the little kids.

Next, it was off to my sister's Vicky and Jim's and my three cute neices house in Park City for some boating fun. This year their little Marlee (not even 3!!) got out on the ski and tore it up!! She still hasn't stopped asking about going waterskiing. Evan braved the tube at a respectable speed as did Ethan and Austin. Austin got up on two big skis this year following in his MOTHER's example of skiing this year. Thanks to corrective eye surgery I was able to enjoy water sports for the first time in 15 years!! It was fabulous and we had a great long day on the boat (about 5 hours with 7 children!!) It was so fun.

We were able to play tourist up in Park City this year when we visited the Olympic Park. They have turned it into a summer playground including ziplines and alpine slides. We were all able to ride the various attractions and took advantage of the "bounce back" feature to do them again. Everyone had a fun time with it. Austin says he wants to sign up for the ski jumping classes into the big pool next year. Who knows??!!

Our annual family reunion at Bear Lake came near the end of our vacation this year. We had our large family up there (25 kids/18 adults) camping and hanging out on the beach and camp. We had a huge scare when we lost Evan for 30 minutes or so, but found him asleep under an air matress in the tent. Not so fun, but we'll remember that part forever. We'll also remember the fun at the beach (a few sunburns--crappy sunscreen!!) and oh, we'll remember the food--lots and lots of guilt-free food (no calories at family reunions!) McKinley absolutely LOVED the waverunner and was on any time I was. I was actually ticketed for having too many people on the waverunner and for not having an orange flag when towing people. So I've been targeted by the Utah Boat and Safety Patrol as a menace!! I've sent my money in, so maybe they'll remove my name from the list. We'll see next year if there are wanted posters posted around the lake!!

Well, the battery on my camera died, so no more pictures today. I was going to end with Austin on the beach at Bear Lake and then a cute picture of David huggin his mom goodbye on the day we left. I'll put them up as soon as I get the batteries charged. I'll also post about the first day of school that was today!! See ya later.

Mama Mia!!

So David took me to see Mama Mia last night. Now there is some history here. David and I went to see Mama Mia on a whim a few years ago. We had no idea what the story was about...we just knew it was Abba music and that's all we needed to know. After getting past the premise of the musical (not such a great example) we LOVED the musical production. So when the movie came out we just had to go. David decided we should go on opening night and off we went. Now, we can't remember if we've ever been to a movie before alone. We've been to plenty of family movies, but a movie date just isn't our thing. Coupled with the fact that I get dizzy near the big screen, David insists that sitting next to each other in complete silence just isn't a way to connect. Back to the movie...off we went to watch this movie. Remember it's opening night, but it's also the opening night for Dark Knight, so we figured there would be no problem getting tickets. We were wrong. After the first theater was sold out we rushed to another theater only to find out that they were sold out to. At least the 7 o'clock showing was. Showing our true age and abilities we decided that the 9:40 start time of the next show was just too late and we went and got an ice-cream and called it a night. That was 4 weeks ago. Well, last night we tried again. Seems the charm has worn off and we were able to get right in. It was a cute show....cheesy, but you should expect that. The characters are as delightful as ever and the musical is predictable when they break out into song.. again...cheesy. There are a few sexual references thrown in for no apparant reason (why do they do that?) and some G-O-D's that are not references to diety, but for the most part...great, cheesy fun!! It left you with a good feeling and who doesn't love the feeling you get when you go to a wedding? Makes me fall in love with my man all over again...especially when he's watching Mama Mia in public, and it was his idea. Where is that ABBA gold album we have? I'll find it this week!!

We're Back...*sob*!!

So, we're back in the big land of Texas and I just can't get in to it. I guess having your house on the market and knowing that you really want to live somewhere else can be a downer. It's always hard to come back from visiting family and realize you're all alone (figuratively) in your area. Yes, I have some friends here and I do love them dearly, but there's nothing like family. I'm so jealous of those of you who live near your family. Don't take it for granted. Don't complain about meddling family or the umpteenth baby/wedding shower you HAVE to go to this week. I miss those things. I want my kids to have grandma and grandpa come to school on grandparents day. I want Sunday dinners with my sister and her kids. I want aunts and uncles to wrap their arms around my boys and give them advice that they won't take from me. But my little pity party has to end soon because the fact is that we're here and we're here until our house sells. And it looks like that will be a while. So my pity party will end tonight. Tomorrow morning I will be loving Texas again and living with the enthusiasm and energy that makes life fun wherever you are. I know I can do it...it's what I usually can do just fine. It's definitely the better way to live anyways...pity party's aren't fun when they go on too long.

Busy in Utah

Hello all. We'll we're in Utah and I don't think I've been alone in a few days. Not only that, but I don't think I could count the number of people in this house at one time with just my fingers. This is just a fact with a large family. This is the stuff we envy when we're clanking around our house alone in Texas. I love it!! The kids are entertained by each other by just playing...and they play hard. There is nothing like a bunch of cousins at Nana and Grandad's house. I think I counted 19 cousins here today!! The house is really rocking all the way up to 11pm or so when the moms finally decide the chaos is too much and the children sack out in 30 seconds or less...it's really amazing.

So we've been busy doing a lot of nothing, but that's what we like to do. We've done the dollar theater, the slip and slide, a swim trip, and a few drive's just to see what's new. We're still planning Seven Peaks and the drive-in!! Then it's up to my side of the family where it's a little less in numbers, but still pretty rockin' with my sister's three kids four and under!! It's all good.

We'll keep you in touch.

Nina

Stalking laws?

Are there rules out there for stalking people's blogs? Ok, I have to admit that since I've started this blogging thing I've been trying to find everyone I've ever known and catch up. So I start with one person who gave me their address and look at their links. I see people there that I know, usually someone from church or a distant family member. It's so much fun. Catching up on people you knew a long time ago. In my mind all their children are the same size as the last time I saw them and they have been stuck in my time warp of whenever I last saw them. So it's quite eye-opening to see their children are growing up as fast as, if not faster than mine. But I feel like I'm intruding into their lives without asking. Of course, I would love for any of them to view my blog and catch up, so I guess it's ok. I'm stalking my old friends, but I'd tell them if I could!!

A right of passage

Ok, so every kids need to go to the zoo, right? At least once, and preferably once a year so you can remember having gone to the zoo "when you were a kid". Once may not cut it...and so I undertook the adventure of taking the kids to the zoo. Now I have in the past made the comment to David (after returning from a hectic day at the zoo), "If I ever say I'm taking the kids to the zoo, remind me not to!!". It doesn't work...I still feel obligated, no commanded, to take my children to the zoo. So yesterday I accepted an invitation from a friend to go to the zoo. She has a season pass and so it was a free adventure (minus the gas to get there). I'm a succor for a good deal and I only had McKinley and Evan since the other boys were finishing up their week long soccer camp.

So we prepared for the zoo. Stroller...check, snacks...check, water...check...camera...check. We're set!! We even had the talk, you know the one: "Now you HAVE to listen to mom and STAY WITH ME!!" I'm sure that will do the trick this time.

As you enter the zoo and venture in towards the animals it becomes increasingly unclear which are the animals and which are the children. There is something about the zoo that says you have to run to every exhibit, try to get the animals to do something, stay hydrated and cool in the 98 degree weather, and HAVE FUN. This trip was actually not too bad in the whole spectrum of zoo trips. We did have some fun moments and no one got lost or left behind as a donation. Who knows...I may even go there again someday.