Romantic at Heart

Not that this is new news, but I've always had a little love for the farm life, pioneer life even.  The songs about front porches and fields being plowed have always put me in a wistful state.  A little funny since I don't particularly enjoy being outside or doing things the hard way.  But, it does stir me.  I always get a little crazier when I read the Work and  the Glory books as well (which I currently am).  Today as I walked through my yard, I had a great sense of gratitude for my "land".  It's only an acre, hardly "land"... but it's mine.  No fences, except for the chicken coop, no street lights, lots of green (for AZ), not much traffic...  Glade and the boys are out filling in the garden with new dirt so we can start planting here in a week or so.  A small storm blew in and cooled things off a smidge, just enough for it to be tolerable outside.  The chickens were out and about pecking away.  Kids bikes lay strewn about in the driveway.  Katy perched atop a small tractor watching her dad and brothers shoveling away.  Not to mention clouds just seem to make everything look prettier.  It's nice to enjoy where you are!

Fun Times

It's the little things.  I spent yesterday shopping with my Mom and Chelsey, which is always fun!  We had lunch together and went to Kirklands.  Shortly after getting home, I had to go register the rest of my kids for school.  This is a very exciting day!!  What classes, who's my teacher, do any of my friends have the same??  While there, I also got their AIMS results.  Now, I really hate the AIMS test.  I hate that they take time out to make them practice it.  Either they know the stuff or they don't.  Anyway, to my great surprise, Dalin exceeded all three areas.  All three!!  He did amazing.  His grades are not that great, not bad (except spelling), but not great either... so I was a little surprised. 

When dinner time came around, I had to keep my vow of having dinner made every night so I whipped up some spaghetti.  Gourmet, I know!  Three of the kids were playing outside on the tramp in the water so I served theirs up on paper plates outside.  Two others were heading out the door to play basketball so they got to eat theirs on the fly.  The rest of us sat at the table like the cozy family that we are.  Because there were so few of us, we started talking about how it would be if we only had 4 kids.  I could quote lots of our funny conversation, but it wouldn't be funny to anyone now.  For us... we giggled and giggled and I'm pretty sure we came mighty close to having milk shoot out someone's nose.  We have an ongoing joke about who is my "favorite" so that played heavily into our conversations as well. 

After dinner one of my kids offered to scratch my back with this little claw thing in exchange for more computer time.  Sold!  Minute for minute.  That started a whole scope of pampering.  Another lined up to take a turn with the claw and one said she'd rather rub my feet with lotion.  Ok!!  Once she got started, another wanted to join in so she did my hands and legs.  Once that got started yet again another wanted to polish my toes.  So I ended up with a scratched back, soft rubbed feet and hands and cute toes all for a few minutes on a computer.  That's the life!!

I'm not the most fun mom and I'm not the down and dirty  play with 'em all the time kind of girl either, but it's nice to have a totally spontaneous good laugh with them now and again.  How could I possibly choose a favorite out of a bunch like mine?!

You Just Never Know

Yesterday was supposed to start off with me staying home all morning making breakfast burritos to freeze since my big kids are back in school now. Instead, I went on a shopping spree with Mom and Chelsey.  I really needed a Bunko gift!!  I really love going to Kirklands, just the smell as you walk in...  It's completely involuntary, but you just have to stop your first step in and take it all in.  Ahhhh!  However, going there really makes me want to redo my house.  I'm not going to but, oh how fun that would be!!  Chelsey has been looking for something to put over her couch in her apartment in Flagstaff, but most things that big are really expensive.

We found this collage frame for $20 while we were there.  We decided to make cute things to put in most of the frames that would match her color scheme and then use actual pictures for a few of them.  When we got home, we dug out old scrapbook paper and any craft stuff I had laying around (which isn't much) and see what we could put together.  You can't see in the pictures, but almost every one has some kind of gem or sparkle to it.  It's subtle, not gaudy.  I think it turned out super cute!!

On a different note, while driving home, she and I had a much needed but painful talk about her upcoming school situation.  As to keep her life her own I won't go into detail, but I'll just say that she needs to make some hard decisions about where she's going to be and how she's going to make it all work out.  There were a lot of tears shed, but it needed to be discussed and hopefully she will make decisions that are good and not fun.  Sometimes they end up being both!!

Later that night we watched Pearl Harbor together in the living room.  I love that movie and I think she did too.  I wouldn't say today was anything super special or exciting, but this is what she posted on FB after she went to her room:

Chelsey Smith: Had a really good day :) Thanks to my momma, some scrapbook paper, and a movie! even the worst days could be turned around with a combination like that.

Ya just never know when a moment can be important.

I Guess I'm Lucky

In talking to a friend tonight, I realized... maybe I'm just lucky.  We were discussing life and kids and what not and the topic of "cruises" came up.  You know that's one of my very favorite things!  Anyway, she just got off one so we were talking about the things they did.  She was surprised to hear some of the things Glade and I did together.  She said "he'd do that with you?"  Then asked "so you guys like to hang out together?"  I found it odd that she thought we were odd for liking to play together.  I know everyone's relationships are made up of different things, ours is not perfect by any means, but I'm just glad we like each other.  I'm not at all worried about "empty nest" for us.  If we can survive parenting, we're home free!  Playing is what we do best together.  We certainly have our differences, but in the end.... he's the one I like to be with.

Just Life

It's weird that I feel like I have nothing to blog about and yet I'm so busy all the time.  I'm going to go with it's all pretty blah blah stuff not really worth mentioning.  So let me think....  in the last few days...  Brooklyn had her day camp and ended up with $50 in her pocket.  She came to realize that entertaining 3 and 4 year olds isn't as easy as one might think!  We have taken care of pets for two families that live nearby.  That also included a two hour roundup of a very evasive dog who doesn't like hot dogs.  Seriously, what dog doesn't eat hot dogs??  We went to the pool several times.  I completely cleaned out and organized my office and the pantry.  Got my computer back so I now have two working computers in our house.  Had lunch with one of Glade's YM from our last ward, Jeff Nielson, who is 23 now.  I still like him! 

The boys have been earning money working at the bakery and for a neighbor doing yard work.  Put the kids to work on Saturday cleaning outside stuff.  Our grass is so green!  The rain and a few times of irrigation have done wonders.   Had a great lunch with mom and then went out with Glade that night to the very same restaurant (he didn't know that's where I had gone for lunch. Ü).  Great day at church and Sunday dinner.  Made a very delicious pineapple upside down cake.  I believe Glade said this after eating almost a quarter of the cake before dinner "I've been missing out on that my whole life?"  I'm pretty sure that was a compliment.  Took the kids to the park at 7 am after Katy sweet talked me into it.  Yes, she's spoiled.  Three big kids started school today.  Stepped on the scale and realized I really need to get on it!  Starting to have to wear my stretchy pants. 

This week is Bunko at my house and then a party at the park on Friday.  Going to try to get back into a good routine now that the kids have started school again.  So I better get thinking... What's for dinner?

Goin Back...

It's official, it's the last weekend before my big kids go back to school.  They start Monday and boy are they ready.  I bought my last pair of new shoes today (size 9 for my 11 year old!) and everyone has new backpacks and most of everything else they need.  It's nice when they are older because they don't grow out of everything from year to year.  This has been an expensive year for back to school stuff though, I'm ready to hit recovery mode.  My younger ones don't start until August 10 and Katy starts preschool Aug. 1st.  Every time we pass Rhett's school, he looks out the window and says "man I really need to be there!".  I love that my kids don't dread school.  Even the ones that struggle a little would rather be there than wasting the time away at home.  Even Chelsey is chomping at the bit to get back to a schedule and some purpose in life.  Whitley is a senior this year and it's freaking her out a little.  Me too, actually.  Bo goes all day which he is so excited for.  Lunch at school!!  And Rhett and Brooklyn are in JH.  Aren't I still only 20?  Chelsey likes to remind me I'm not.  On with another year of forward progression! (crossing fingers)

Patience is a Virtue

I'm having visions and it's giving me anxiety!  After having the first real nap I've had since the kids have been out of school (Whitley took everyone to the pool so it was SO quiet), I got up and started puttering around.  While putting some groceries away I started seeing myself organizing different things, canning apples, snuggling on the porch swing in a blanket, running...ahhh...running, serving hot, complete meals, kissing good smelling heads goodnight, gushing over my coupon savings, watching the cold rain... oh the life I would so love to have right now.  But it's not yet meant to be.  I'm sure I feel just like the kids do on Christmas Eve day, just get here already!!  I can't possibly wait one more minute!!  But the clock ticks on.  The heat engulfs.  The thoughts tantalize.  So, in my quiet moment of "I just want to do something!", I sat my butt on the couch and began to watch an episode of Friends.  I haven't seen that in years!  I guess this was an Ok way to waste away the time.  Oh wait... the kids are home.  The noise has returned and the TV is switched back to channel 8.  My sublime moment of fantasy has ended.  I guess I'll check the freezer to see what's for dinner.

I think I'm Good

I haven't blogged in awhile because all that would have come out were emotions.  After the accident on the 4th of July, I've had a really hard time getting myself together.  I would be fine for a few days and then in tears the next.  I'm pretty sure that not a day went by that I didn't tear up/cry for at least a week.  It was really hard to make sense of and a little embarrassing to be so not in control.  Finally people have stopped asking how I'm doing, that's good cuz every time they did.. I would cry.  I went to the temple last Wednesday and have spent a lot of time trying to figure out how to come to terms with all of it and I think I'm finally past it.  Today I woke up and had the thought - "I don't remember thinking about the accident yesterday."  It feels good to finally be able to go though the day without it being in the forefront of my brain.  It's been a different kind of experience that's difficult to explain and one I never want to repeat. 

With that being said, this is what DID happen last week:
- lunch with Leslie
- Charity Car Wash for a family in our ward
- Temple night, went to dinner/ice cream with several couples after.  FUN!
- Chelsey's 19th bday, lunch and shopping
- Dad's bday
- lots of school shopping
- summer movies, hadn't seen Shrek 4 before
- 3 trips to the pool
- lunch with Mom
- 3 mornings of exercise
- got my blog books in the mail
- night out with the Garrs
- GoodWill's 50% sale ($2.50 jeans)
- impromptu night in with 9 other couples

My big kids start school a week from tomorrow and the others 2 weeks after that.  Wow, summer was a breeze this year.  Now, I still have 3 more weeks, maybe I shouldn't jinx myself just yet!  Everyone is very anxious to get going and get back to friends and routine and not being so idle all day.  Katy will start preschool and is SO excited to do that and I'm excited to have 2 mornings a week to coupon shop without the distractions of little ones.  AND to top it all off... I bought my first Christmas present.  It IS July ya know!

Home

Home has been on my mind a lot lately.  At the scene of the car accident Monday, Katelyn jumped into my arms sobbing "I want to go home! I want to go home!"  It was heartbreaking.  Since that time I've done a little reflecting on why she chose home.  She could have said she wanted to get out of there or go to the park where we were headed for the picnic, but she said home.  As I've spent time here this week, I've seen our home in a different light.  It's been a little hard to leave.  I watch my kids doing their different activities around the house and it warms my heart.  Our home is comfortable and of course I love it, I designed it.   But that's not really it.  Within it's walls all sorts of wonderful, emotional, funny, scary... I could go on and on about the different things that happen here.  It's where we are.  Does that make sense?  Within these walls we are a family.  It's where we are together and where there's not the world.  It's just us.  It's safe and familiar and ours.

This is our house...

This makes it our home.  Of course that's where Katy would want to be.

Cow Appreciation Day 2011

It has become tradition to dress up as cows and get free lunch at Chick Fil A once a year for Cow Appreciation Day.  This year to mix it up a little, we all chose a "character".

Katy as "Princess Cow"

Bo as "Ninja Cow"

Nick as "Gangsta Cow".  You can't tell, but he has tinfoil for teeth.

Brooklyn as "Rainbow Cow".  They almost weren't going to give her a meal since she had colored spots. Lame.

Whitley as "Arnold Cow-inagor"

Stephen as "Dead Cow"

Rhett as "Harry Utter"

Dalin as "CowMan".  The underwear were totally his idea.

Me as "Homemaker Cow"

Chelsey as "Sparkly Cow"

The Smith Family Cows

Camping on the Beach 2011

We went to San Diego to camp on the beach a month or so ago and it was AMAZING.  The weather was near perfect, the kids did great, I got to run every morning... The list goes on.  We had to move spots every night and that was a pain, but totally worth it.  The pictures are all in some weird order, but for the most part, we just had fun together, played together, and had a wonderful family vacation.  I really did not want to come home.  For 4 days we didn't think about FaceBook or check email or watch TV.  Seriously one of my favorite vacations.

There was room for the kids to scooter and scooter they did...a lot!  We didn't find out till the last day that wearing a helmet was the law in CA.  Stupid.

This picture is worth a story.  These were our first neighbors.  The hippy-mobile.  Not only does it look like one, they were.  There were about 8 kids in total with serious nature/type names.  I had written them down so I wouldn't forget and I lost the paper.  Anyway, the kids were in the tree and crazy all over the place.  The next day I saw one peeing from the top of the tree, pants around his knees.  Nice.

Glade bought a skim board for the kids to try.  Nick got the hang of it pretty good, but Rhett totally rocked it.  No one else could even stay on it.  We have a billion pictures of them trying but I only posted the wipeout fun ones!

Brooklyn and Stephen are my two that fight the most, but get them in the water and they are two of a kind.

Chelsey's wipeout

Why is it that all my vacations lately involve so many of these??

Brooklyn giving the skim board a try

They are all laughing because right behind me Glade was trying to skim board

Another one of Chelsey

This was the scene at our camp in the evenings.

Are we talented or what?!

Glade giving it a try.

Bo took his fishing pole and spent some time trying to catch a whale.

Whitley on her tush.

They were all good sports in helping out with the chores.  Funny story about Nick.  The big boys slept outside on airmattresses.  The camp has tons of squirrels that feast on anything you may leave out.  He woke up to a little squirrel curled up in a ball sleeping on his legs.  He didn't think it was so cute.

Glade spent the majority of his time doing work.  I guess that's the beauty of technology.  I would complain, but it's this that made it possible for him to be with us at all.

Some other memories of our trip:

-laughing around the campfire
-teaching the kids how to play euchre
-getting milkshakes at the Jack in the Box across the street
-watching the kids pull our trailer down the street to switch spots
-having everyone turn and look as all the kids sang a popular song as we walked back to our spot
-being able to just wander across the path and stare at the ocean at sunset
-watching my kids BE for four glorious days