Playtime Cut Short!

So I took Harrison on a bike ride while Ava and Regan were upstairs playing happily. My mom and my sister were just downstairs doing whatever and I told them we'd be back in a half hour. No sooner had Harry and I walked in the gate, my mom said "Stay there". She ran in and came out with Suzy holding Regan awaiting my reaction. We all were in complete shock and laughed our heads off....can anyone say MULLET?

This is how it all went down: I guess after a while my mom decided to run upstairs and check on the girls who were unusually quiet. The bathroom door was locked and Ava REFUSED to open it. My mom got a pin, opened the door and beheld brown locks covering the ground and gasped...the rest is history. Ava said that Regan couldn't see because her hair was covering her eyes. Oh she'll be able to see just fine without aid of any ribbon or pigtails for literally MONTHS. Perhaps it is my white trash roots, and perhaps when I'm getting her ready for church this will hit me harder but I can't stop smilling and since I pulled this trick on my cousin when I was 4, I guess I just expected it to happen at some point with daughters. I'm so bummed Regan was in such a foul mood when I was trying to get her picture. It was right before naptime and she wouldn't smile. Maybe she knows more than she lets on. Someone has a very promising career in her future don't you think?

"My Home and Native Land"

Hello to all from the beautiful North! The kids and I have been in Canada for almost a month now and it feels like we just got here. We are having so much fun and the kids keep telling me they never want to go home....DUH! We are officially living in the 'no rule zone' with Nana letting the children run amuck. Life here consists of midnight walks with Mitzi the dog, going on bike rides, late park runs, swimming at the wave pool almost daily (we bought a month long pass) and now we are frequenting many famous 'Calgary Stampede' events like free pancake breakfasts and lunches which are riddled with bounce machines, petting zoos, live bands you name it. I'm sure this sounds like major bragging but most of you know the crazy year I've had and honestly it's like breathing in wicked amounts of sanity being here. It's like neverland (MJ has been on the brain..sorry) I needed it and the kids needed it desperatly. My sister Suzy and her little guy Parker are here for a month...I am telling you does life get any better than this? (Okay, if all my sibling could be here) ALSO... We are LOVING Scotty being here for 10 days. He is loving the 'zero stress nap when you feel like' it mode as well. He took the kids to the zoo yesterday and to a movie tonight. What a guy! He and I are looking forward to going back to the Cardston Temple (the temple we were married in) for the first time since that momentous day in a couple of days...can't wait!

Hope your summer is going great. Let us all renew our spirits in time for crap to hit the fan come first day of school! Why in the tarnation do I still dread that forsaken day? LOVE TO ALL:)

3 Lucky Chicks!

Let me introduce Blackie, Goldie, and Junior. Our dear friend Brandy Treguboff was doing photo shoots for our girls camp fundraiser with baby chicks for easter. Every child was smitten but most especially Ava who I affectionatly call 'Fern' because she belongs on a farm. I buckled under pressure and ordered 3 baby chicks and Brandy agreed to take them in a few weeks to her parent's farm when they got too big.

My choice for the title is hyperbole in its most extreme form. Actually, okay, when it comes to being adored and loved, yes they are lucky. But the constant mishandling is nothing short of a complete shame. Regan loves to be a little mother hen but somehow holds them by the neck. We've taught her how to hold them from the feet but she still will revert back to her original grip every once in a while. Yesterday, Harrison screamed upstairs, "Mom this is really serious, Ava threw Blackie over the fence!" Okay, our fence is like 9 feet tall. I yelled...'Why on earth would you throw Blackie?" She said, "I'm teaching him how to fly!" I let her know under no uncertain terms that the poor thing was probably taught how to die not fly. But darned if the little thing wasn't pecking for bugs joyfully on the other side of the fence! Heaven help us all....especially Blackie!

PREGO AGAINO?????

Can we say....a tid bit surprised? What do they call these again....oh ya BLESSINGS! So it was Thursday April 23, around 12:30p.m., I was sitting down with the calendar setting a dentist appointment for Harrison when it dawned on me that I should have started my cycle by now. Luckily because of mass paranoia I had an extra test from a multi pack I bought a few months ago from another 'questionable' month. (I know at this point you're all thinking...sex ed. 101 people so to ease your curiosity, yes we do use birth control;) I layed Regan down for a nap and casually took the test. As all positive tests go, I start seeing a light pink second line appear. In complete and utter shock, I place the test on the bathroom floor, run to the phone and call Scott. In a calm voice, I ask him where he is. As tender as mercies get, he was available to meet me at a middle location for 'lunch'. He asked why the urgency, and I just told him I had to talk to him in person. I woke Regan from peacful slumber, loaded her dishovled body as well as Ava's into the car. I speed down the freeway to the mall to find Scott waiting on the curb in a state of panic thinking something was severely wrong. He crawls in the car with me to find a parking spot and begs for the reason I came. With a car at a complete stop I say....I'm pregnant! He said WHAT?!?!?! How did this happen? Then he put his head back on the headrest and smiled, then he said, okay, I thought something major was wrong. So glad its this. YOU'RE PREGNANT? That sums up the feelings we've had over the last few days. We really thought we were done because my doctor told me my uterus was so thin I really shouldn't have any more but that I had a 95% chance that everything would be fine if I did choose to have another one. I figure 95% is a dang good grade in school right? Here's to hoping we're not the5%! Barring any misfortune....welcome Smith baby #4! (Harrison said he'll be 'ticked' if it's another girl!) Oh yes, and if my calculations are correct...this baby is due Christmas day! The kids call it the Christmas baby. Ava is always bringing me stuff and saying, can we get this for the Christmas baby? Adorable!

Operation SHOCK & BLOG!!!!!!!

I'm so positive no one will ever read this simply because my track record for keeping updated is so obviously HORRIBLE! But a new day has come...and I'M ALIVE (as we can celebrate by listening to the beautiful Celine)

Truly. For those of you who don't know, our little family made a little move only 10 minutes away from our old house. One would think that shouldn't be that traumatic seeing as I still shop at the same stores, I'm still close to friends etc. etc. etc. But it wasn't as smooth a transition as I had hoped. Okay, I knew I wasn't a real champ with change, but I think I surprised myself and my family with how nutty I've been the last 8 months. Don't picture me sitting in a corner in the fetal position or anything...but I did have a little battle with mental sanity for a while and I really feel as though I've turned a corner. I've been feeling 'normal' (don't laugh, okay as normal as possible) for about 2 months now...a big accomplishment wouldn't you say? I really think it had alot to do with this house not feeling like our home yet. And that does take time! You need to experience a few birthdays, the Christmas season, having friends over, basically breaking in the new house to make it feel like it really is your HOME.

Okay enough! I just thought I'd post my reason for being gone so bloody long. But actually, one of the biggest reasons for my minimal computer use is HUGE! Our computer is now upstairs, still in an open area -so as to keep from losing any family members to the dark side of adult web sites if you get my drift;) But our computer is no longer in the kitchen. So when I get the kids down, I immediatly go downstairs to pick up from the day etc. but the computer is no longer in a place that beckons me to it. Therefore out of sight out of mind. I'm horrible with email too but my drive to keep a journal for my children is putting me back in the game.

I am keenly aware that this will be a 'test' period as I'm sure no one believes that I'll be consistant, but I'll just have to prove myself. And just you wait...I will!

Okay, now I have to buckle down and do my talk for Easter Sunday on the resurrection....HOLY COW I feel like Spongebob on that episode where he was asked to write a paper for driving school and he just would sit there pencil in hand and think of every single distraction on the planet to procrastinate. Interesting.....I'm so disappointed in myself now. But hey, this was a necessary distraction do you not agree? Once Scott can figure out how in the heck we can get my pictures to download on our computer you'll get to see how the kids have all grown 10 ft. YOU'LL DIE!

And lastly, the exciting thing about me starting to blog again is that I'll start back into catching up with you...my dear friends and family and I'll finally be able to tell my sister, YES I did check out her latest and greatest post about Parker and that yes, he is the most perfect, adorable, and highly intelligent child on the face of this earthly green planet. I love that kid!

HAPPY EASTER TO ALL! Oh, (sorry- self-diagnosed ADD kicking in...) dont' you think it is so appropriate that I have to speak about the resurrection and then relating that directly to my blog..............HMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!

Summer 2008- a recap:)

Wow! I was reviewing the pictures since we've been back, and there could be about 200 seperate posts. So I've decided to just post a bunch of pictures and put captions underneath! For those of you who didn't know, Harry left for Canada to stay with my mom until we came. What was going to be just a week-long gap turned out to be a month. Harrison loved being the center of attention with Nana and grandpa, and only mentionned missing us about 2 days before we left. Can I just say...I love Canada! The summers are so beautiful...and long! It really doesn't get dark until around 11pm every night. I especially want to thank my mom and dad for all of the love and time they spend with each of the kids. It really is a second home to them. Now we're back home in AZ. So great to see Scott again, even though it has been in minute increments. To me, coming back is bittersweet because we have to get into high gear right away with moving and Harrison starts school on Monday. AHHHHH! Who knew as a parent you would hate to see the summer come to a close just as intensely as when you where in school yourself! Goodbye lazy summer days!


Regan's 1st Birthday...June 12th:)
I cannot believe it's been one whole year! Time flies too fast.
But on the upside, perhaps I'll be more mentally stable for her
second year of life...here's to hoping!

Kids getting ready for Canada day parade:)

CANADA DAY!!!! July 1st!
We had a great day the kids were in a
parade and Scott was there with us..so fun!

STAMPEDE TIME! Here are the kids at one
of the infamous 'stampede breakfasts'. My
nephew Anderson was with us...love that
little guy!




Swimming Lessons at Acadia Pool
Harry & Ava took swim lessons at the same
pool I did when I was growing up.
This was the teacher they both had, but
they were in seperate classes. They had fun!


The wave pool! I took the kids here
about 10 times sometimes twice a day! They
loved it. By the end, Ava was hauling down
the big dark tunnel slides by herself. Harry
was totally self-sufficient EVERYWHERE!
They were both fish in a previous life I swear.

Jumping on the tramp in the rain!
The minute they heard thunder they'd run
out to the trampoline. Safe? Not sure. Fun? For sure!


'If the Savior stood beside me'
Harrison and Ava sang in my parents' ward
and sounded awesome if I do say so myself


Ice blocking in Rexburg! On our
drive home we had some extra time and I
hadn't been to Rexburg in years so we pulled off.
Thanks to a nice family, we joined them in
ice-blocking. A new experience for the kids.



'HONEYMOON SUITE!'
So the ONLY room left in ALL OF REXBURG
was a honeymoon suite entitled 'Planet 10'
Harrison was in heaven, my mom and I were
creeped out! This was the lava rock tub.
The rest of the room was filled with stars, and
planets ofcourse. If you turned off the lights,
fiber-optic stars would cover the ceiling! Yikes!


Visited the infamous 'Bear World"
This place is awesome. It is in Rigby, ID. You drive around in your car
and there are literally live bears all around you.
Then there were rides, a petting zoo, and treats for the
kids after wards!

Petting zoo at bear world


'Three bears cafe' in Kanab, UT
A must see if driving thru. I love the ice cream...
obviously the kids do too!


24 Hour car ride! I cannot thank my mom
enough for having all the patience in the world
driving from Canada to AZ. It was a little anxiety
ridden especially when we took Ava to the urgent care
in UT and found out she had hand foot and mouth virus.
No wonder she was cranky! But honestly, my mom and
I couldn't get over how good the kids were. Good enough
to plan on doing it again next year. The scenery is
breathtaking. I don't ever want to fly there unless its
in the winter time! Too dangerous!

FORGET WALDO! WHERE'S JILL?????????

CANADA my friends...Canada! Here we are in Canada for our third straight summer keeping out of the inferno called AZ! We are having so much fun doing the usual, wave pool, swimming lessons, walks with Nana's dog Mitzi (we pray every summer that she'll still be around) stampede fun, parks, rain storms, trampoline with sprinkler underneath, reunions with extended family, you name it. Are you surprised that the kids don't want to go home in a week? The only thing we need here is Scott...who is busy getting ready for our stake's trek, and the move to our new house. We miss him terribly.

So much has happened since my last post! Scott and I just celebrated our 12th wedding anniversary. Two words...time flies! Okay, three more words...love that man! Regan celebrated her first birthday. Some thought she may not make it with Ava constantly hovering over her minutely but she came through and is such a sweetie to have around! She honestly gets cuter everyday and since we've been in Calgary, she's now not only walking, she runs in every direction! And may I just say in the most family friendly way possible...I'M NOW OFFICIALLY DONE BREASTFEEDING!!!!!!!!!!! Oh blessed day! Anyone who knows me knows how I do it and I don't know why I do it because I hate it! Okay, hate is a very strong word but you love something that keeps you craving junk when you want to lose weight! (I act as though I have no control over the matter, but it feels that way) I would have quit sooner had the little munchkin ever took a bottle! Okay, next...my sister Suzy has moved to Kentucky for Nate to start med. school. I can't stand the thoughts of returning to AZ and not having her there:( As mentionned above, we have bought a new home not far from our current one. It is truly bittersweet. I literally cannot stand the thoughts of leaving my ward and neighbors. If I think about it too much I get depressed. How stupid, I'm going to be 2 minutes away...but it is just not the same. Anyhoo....onward and forward. I am getting major help from my sister, and sisters-in-law with the home decor aspect of things. I knew before that I wasn't a guru in home design, but I am now certain I know nothing. It is a daunting task choosing paint colors, etc. but I'll be fine. You know your life is pretty darn good if you're stressing about home decor....

Well, I'm writing this not having a photo available to post since I didn't bring my camera wires and my mom's computer only is equipped for those so I'll post tons when I get home! There are alot of great ones from this trip!