Thursday, August 31, 2006
Tuesday, August 29, 2006
What the heck happened?
Ok, all I did was publish some pictures ....and the whole blog went cockeyed. No clue why. All I did was add them and it put them in this insane manner. Sorry. Sigh.
Saturday, August 26, 2006
Paisley's Walmart Adventure
Because Paisley's Mom has germ issues, today was the first time she sat in the cart while grocery shopping!! She usually hangs out in her car seat in the basket. At first she was skeptical about it but she eventually warmed up to it and enjoyed holding all the food she could. She really liked looking at the sunglasses!! She sure is cute!
Happy Birthday Derrick!
I know it's a high number but I don't know how high!! Have a happy Birthday!! Do you have to work on your birthday?
Friday, August 25, 2006
Paisley's Website
I have found a fun website for baby's. I have started making one for Paisley, so here is the link if you are interested. Click the title to this post. You're supposed to need a password to get in so if you want to see the website please email or call me for the password, I'm trying to keep it somewhat protected. Thanks!!
Thursday, August 24, 2006
Smith Kids...
Nathan finally crawled long enough that we were able to get a video of it! It is so darling. Each day he crawls more and more, so I am sure soon the army crawl will soon be gone.
Last night he pulled himself up to a standing position. This little boy thinks he needs to grow up. :( Now we need to teach him how to get back down so we dont play the up and stuck game at night in the crib. We played that with Mialee for about 2 weeks. It was such a bummer after she had been sleeping through the night for so many months. Oh well, it ended, and she went back to sleeping through the night.
Now that his upper teeth are in about half way, he grinds his teeth. It is the cutest little noise! Grind, grind, grind...... He has his own blue tooth brush and gets his teeth brushed every night. So far he thinks it is great fun! From experience with Mialee, I doubt his good feelings about brushing will continue, but for now it is enjoyable and has helped Mialee feel happier about the whole process. I always tell her to be an example for him, but with teeth brushing it is the other way around. :)
Mialee continues to sing happy birthday to Grandpa everyday. Even when speaking to her grandpa back East, she wished him happy birthday. :)
Yesterday the kids and I spent the day in Lompoc. We went to the park and fed ducks. Mialee went down a very big slide and Nathan enjoyed swinging for the first time. Mialee and I faithfully watch a weekly signing show on PBS, so we were able to sign all the animals we saw at the park! It is amazing how much she remembers. I have notes of each show and review a little everyday. She just watches while she is playing and dancing around and gets more than I do.
That is all folks.
Last night he pulled himself up to a standing position. This little boy thinks he needs to grow up. :( Now we need to teach him how to get back down so we dont play the up and stuck game at night in the crib. We played that with Mialee for about 2 weeks. It was such a bummer after she had been sleeping through the night for so many months. Oh well, it ended, and she went back to sleeping through the night.
Now that his upper teeth are in about half way, he grinds his teeth. It is the cutest little noise! Grind, grind, grind...... He has his own blue tooth brush and gets his teeth brushed every night. So far he thinks it is great fun! From experience with Mialee, I doubt his good feelings about brushing will continue, but for now it is enjoyable and has helped Mialee feel happier about the whole process. I always tell her to be an example for him, but with teeth brushing it is the other way around. :)
Mialee continues to sing happy birthday to Grandpa everyday. Even when speaking to her grandpa back East, she wished him happy birthday. :)
Yesterday the kids and I spent the day in Lompoc. We went to the park and fed ducks. Mialee went down a very big slide and Nathan enjoyed swinging for the first time. Mialee and I faithfully watch a weekly signing show on PBS, so we were able to sign all the animals we saw at the park! It is amazing how much she remembers. I have notes of each show and review a little everyday. She just watches while she is playing and dancing around and gets more than I do.
That is all folks.
Monday, August 21, 2006
Sunday, August 20, 2006
Happy Birthday Brad
Since Bradley loves the blog and is sometimes an active participant (unlike others) we wish you a happy birthday!!
Saturday, August 19, 2006
The next college graduate has started down the road!
Daniel is officially enrolled full time at Chaffey college. He will be taking 4 classes and they are:
Philosophy, Cinema, Sociology and History. He will be going on Tue morning and evening, Thur mornings and Friday mornings. Woo hoooooo. I am so excited for him. I am also thrilled with the price tag. His tuition and books for a whole semester was a bit over $500. How can you complain about that? And no, we didn't pay for it....he did.
Philosophy, Cinema, Sociology and History. He will be going on Tue morning and evening, Thur mornings and Friday mornings. Woo hoooooo. I am so excited for him. I am also thrilled with the price tag. His tuition and books for a whole semester was a bit over $500. How can you complain about that? And no, we didn't pay for it....he did.
Hey ppl,
Just wanted to give you a heads up in case you want to send something to James for his birthday (Oct 27th) or Christmas. We just recently sent a huge box and spent a small fortune mailing it only to learn of the "other" ways. There is a box (approx size) 9x3x12 that you can fill with stuff that must weight less that 4 bls that will cost between $10-15 to send. It arrives in one week and when it hits the mission office they forward it to the missionary. The only other way to send stuff "cheaply" is to send it surface parcel post. It will take anywhere between 4-8 weeks to get there so you would have to mail it with plenty of time to get there. Our 30lb box would have cost $40 to ship this way. I won't tell you what we paid it is that embarrassing. Packages send this way will wait at the mission office until the missionary comes in for something to get it.
I hope this helps you out.
Just wanted to give you a heads up in case you want to send something to James for his birthday (Oct 27th) or Christmas. We just recently sent a huge box and spent a small fortune mailing it only to learn of the "other" ways. There is a box (approx size) 9x3x12 that you can fill with stuff that must weight less that 4 bls that will cost between $10-15 to send. It arrives in one week and when it hits the mission office they forward it to the missionary. The only other way to send stuff "cheaply" is to send it surface parcel post. It will take anywhere between 4-8 weeks to get there so you would have to mail it with plenty of time to get there. Our 30lb box would have cost $40 to ship this way. I won't tell you what we paid it is that embarrassing. Packages send this way will wait at the mission office until the missionary comes in for something to get it.
I hope this helps you out.
Friday, August 18, 2006
Our Utah Trip
Hey everyone,
I just spoke with Grandma on the phone and she reminded me that we owed you all a report about our excusion.
For once it wasn't just me headed off to do a race. I had company. Yay! Lewis came along and so did Caitlin. We left on Thursday and headed to St George. We had an opportunity to see Patrice (my running friend) and then headed to our hotel, the Budget Inn. We do NOT recommend them. I took a cold shower in order to even have hopes of sleeping. We finally cooled off about 4am almost in time to get out of bed. NOT GOOD. We then headed to Provo. We arrived in Provo a bit early and drove through the canyon where I would be running the next day. I couldnt' believe all the changes in the canyon since my days in Provo. It used to have two lanes and there sure wasn't any tunnel. We then headed to the McPhersons. This was the best part of the trip. David is the chair for the Department of Hearing and Audiology at BYU. He used to be the chair at UCI. For unknown reasons to him, he was invited by the First Lady of Syria to visit and to discuss the opportunity to build a hearing/research institute in Damascus. He went. He has spent quite abit of time over there recently with their last trip occuring when the war broke out. It was absolutely fascinating to hear about all of his travels and discussions he has had with individuals over there. Did you know that there were missionaries graves over there?? Yep two missionares were serving there about 50 years ago and died and are buried there. Also, he learned that the church has humanitarian missionaries in Syria too.
I also made sure to pick his brain about Nathan and passed all the counsel along to her. It was good to talk to him and I think he said some important things to Rebecca.
Joyce's house is incredibly beautiful (Shelley has stayed there she can back me up on this) and big. They mainly stay on the upstairs part though. It was hot at their house too so another night of not so good sleep. Joyce emailed me after the trip to tell me they forgot to turn on the thermostat for the downstairs while we were there. Oops. hehe.
Race day was Saturday. I love Provo Canyon and enjoyed running it even more. I improved my half time by 1:10 and was happy with that but still struggle with altitude at these Utah races. UGH! Not good or fun. I want to do this one again sometime.
We headed back to St George where upon we found a motel that had a good a/c and collapsed. We were supposed to see Shelley and Patrice and we didn't see anyone but the pillows in our room. We got up early and headed back to Fontana to find all was well and that Jonathan had given a talk in Sacrament (we knew nothing about it). We were told by numerous people how impressed they were with him as he got up and spoke for 7 minutes without NOTES. He quoted scriptures, referenced "Especially for Youth" as well as the Priesthood manual. .......And we missed it. ARGH!!! We are very proud of him.
Sorry Shelley, I really did want to see you.
I just spoke with Grandma on the phone and she reminded me that we owed you all a report about our excusion.
For once it wasn't just me headed off to do a race. I had company. Yay! Lewis came along and so did Caitlin. We left on Thursday and headed to St George. We had an opportunity to see Patrice (my running friend) and then headed to our hotel, the Budget Inn. We do NOT recommend them. I took a cold shower in order to even have hopes of sleeping. We finally cooled off about 4am almost in time to get out of bed. NOT GOOD. We then headed to Provo. We arrived in Provo a bit early and drove through the canyon where I would be running the next day. I couldnt' believe all the changes in the canyon since my days in Provo. It used to have two lanes and there sure wasn't any tunnel. We then headed to the McPhersons. This was the best part of the trip. David is the chair for the Department of Hearing and Audiology at BYU. He used to be the chair at UCI. For unknown reasons to him, he was invited by the First Lady of Syria to visit and to discuss the opportunity to build a hearing/research institute in Damascus. He went. He has spent quite abit of time over there recently with their last trip occuring when the war broke out. It was absolutely fascinating to hear about all of his travels and discussions he has had with individuals over there. Did you know that there were missionaries graves over there?? Yep two missionares were serving there about 50 years ago and died and are buried there. Also, he learned that the church has humanitarian missionaries in Syria too.
I also made sure to pick his brain about Nathan and passed all the counsel along to her. It was good to talk to him and I think he said some important things to Rebecca.
Joyce's house is incredibly beautiful (Shelley has stayed there she can back me up on this) and big. They mainly stay on the upstairs part though. It was hot at their house too so another night of not so good sleep. Joyce emailed me after the trip to tell me they forgot to turn on the thermostat for the downstairs while we were there. Oops. hehe.
Race day was Saturday. I love Provo Canyon and enjoyed running it even more. I improved my half time by 1:10 and was happy with that but still struggle with altitude at these Utah races. UGH! Not good or fun. I want to do this one again sometime.
We headed back to St George where upon we found a motel that had a good a/c and collapsed. We were supposed to see Shelley and Patrice and we didn't see anyone but the pillows in our room. We got up early and headed back to Fontana to find all was well and that Jonathan had given a talk in Sacrament (we knew nothing about it). We were told by numerous people how impressed they were with him as he got up and spoke for 7 minutes without NOTES. He quoted scriptures, referenced "Especially for Youth" as well as the Priesthood manual. .......And we missed it. ARGH!!! We are very proud of him.
Sorry Shelley, I really did want to see you.
Sunday, August 13, 2006
Friday, August 11, 2006
We're "short timers" now
It is hard to believe, but two months from today, Oct. 11, dad and I will finish our missionary service here in the California Los Angeles Mission. We have very mixed feelings - from sadness at leaving the people we have grown to love, the missionaries we have served, and the responsibilities that we have had, to excitement about our upcoming trips to visit all of you, and just being home again with time to putter. Leslee asked if we wanted them to come and "pick up us from our mission". We said that would be great! I wish we could think of something to do rather than go directly home - I don't know why, but just going home makes me feel a little lonely - I need something in between as a "buffer" or transition, I guess. The Crook's, when they left, drove to Utah and then on to Idaho for a couple of weeks and then went home. At the time they were planning that I thought it was kind of funny that they wouldn't go home first, but I'm beginning to understand. I know this sounds silly and sentimental, but, oh well, it is the way I feel. So, if any of you have suggestions, we are open to them.
The Chantilly house is no longer ours. After 4 years of "trials and tribulations" with that place it is sold and we no longer have to worry about it or think about it. I don't believe that concept has sunk in with us yet. We appreciate the love, support, and encouragement you were to us during the hard times with that "saga'. We believe the resolution of the law suit associated with that house and the subsequent sale are direct blessings from our mission. We know without the Lord's help we are nothing.
Well, this has gone on long enough. We love you, we are proud of you (in the very best sense of the word) we are grateful for you, we thank you for your love. We feel incredibally blessed to be the parents and grandparents of such exceptional and beautiful and wonderful children.
The Chantilly house is no longer ours. After 4 years of "trials and tribulations" with that place it is sold and we no longer have to worry about it or think about it. I don't believe that concept has sunk in with us yet. We appreciate the love, support, and encouragement you were to us during the hard times with that "saga'. We believe the resolution of the law suit associated with that house and the subsequent sale are direct blessings from our mission. We know without the Lord's help we are nothing.
Well, this has gone on long enough. We love you, we are proud of you (in the very best sense of the word) we are grateful for you, we thank you for your love. We feel incredibally blessed to be the parents and grandparents of such exceptional and beautiful and wonderful children.
Wednesday, August 09, 2006
Monday, August 07, 2006
Pretty in Purple
Paisley is beginning to grow out of some of her Sunday clothes so we have started to dress her in some new dresses. We bought this one a while before she was born and I have loved it and been waiting for her to wear it. It is very cute and she looks adorable in it!! You can't really tell from the picture but on the ruffly sleeves and on the collar are eyelets in the fabric. They are so sweet!
Wednesday, August 02, 2006
Anniversary Cruisin'
Jason and I are taking a cruise in November for our anniversary (which is in December but things are cheaper in November) and we just wanted to invite anyone interested to come along. We don't want to leave anyone out, so all are invited. If interested contact us for details!
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