hello again

Ok so I tried to blog at wordpress but I just couldn't really do it. I feel home here. My words flow here. Even though the app for blogger stinks/doesn't really exist anymore...Even though the app for wordpress is amazing...

Even though I'll have to get on my desk top to write instead of using my phone...
I just wasn't blogging much. I wasn't feeling inspired to go. I didn't enjoy typing the same way I do here. That makes no sense.

Click here to read the few posts I made over at Wordpress...

Updates then...

Ella is big. Well, actually she is tiny, petite. But she is a 6 month old crawler and at almost 7 months she is pulling up to standing on toys or things low to the ground.

Hattie and Freddie are completely in awe of the world. Fred can help me with things and does, occasionally. Hattie tires my patience. I might say she is my hardest child but then again, Fred was crazy honory and hard at 3 years old. And Ella isn't there yet, so...

We spent Thanksgiving down in Phoenix. Collin and the kids and Dot and I flew down and man was it nice not to have to drive the 12 hours... (plus many more with all the stops). Dot was an angel and loved being at my parents' house. We had the best time I've ever had with my fam. Amelia and David being married adds a great dynamic to the group. We all had fun every night going to the hot tub with Joseph. My mom and dad would take the kids (which they all loved) and we would go. It is awesome to have that ability!!

There was an added somberness and gratefulness as my dad's business partner and coworker of 20 years was killed in a car accident just the day before Thanksgiving. It was a horrible thing and a huge shock to us all. It was so different from any death I've experienced. I get so sad thinking about it and about not seeing him at my dad's office and about his kids. They are my brothers and my age. We have so many memories together. My dad said some beautiful things to us all before we ate our Thanksgiving meal about living life everyday to the fullest and holding each other close. It really set the tone for the rest of the weekend. Even when we did have a small political discussion, we kept calm and listened pretty well to each other.

We were happy to have Dot traveling with us and she was cuddly and fuzzy all weekend long. 

The new Gilmore Girls revival came out and Morgan came over and we had donuts, hot chocolate and pop tarts to celebrate. Here's a separate post about that.

It was amazing to see other friends too!!!

Now we are back up in Sandy, Utah, preparing for Christmas, for Hattie's birthday party and for our travels to Florida for Christmas and New Years.

beautiful table created by Amelia

the holidays

The holidays in 2014 were a slight blur. Everything was great and festive and fun. I felt the Christmas spirit and enjoyed time w my family. But it was so busy! Any and all routines were thrown out the window and we are still paying for that, in February! This year, I've made a goal to edit a little more and make more of a priority to keep even just a little normalcy for my kids' sake, and my sanity too. It's hard when you love to party and you don't want to say no to anything. But the kids will also be another year older, so it might be a little easier.

Here are some of my favorite pictures of Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years 2014...

cheerleader and ninja

Thanksgiving up North!!

This past year there have been millions of things for me to be grateful for. One in particular is the open house and dedication of the Phoenix Temple. It was a very peaceful, spiritual experience for me to go with my little family. It was very quiet and simple but I heard the voice of the spirit testifying specific things to me and comforting me and giving me personal revelation and answers to prayers. Some things I've been struggling with for about 6 months were starting to be addressed and by the dedication I feel they came to a conclusion and that I could move on from them. I was comforted and where there was fear, stress, and concern, I was given confidence, peace and faith.

My husband was with me every step of the way through these struggles. His understanding was beyond my own but he was patient and kind. He considered my feelings and my fear. He didn't take it lightly. He chose language that he thought would help me. He guided me. He pointed out a talk in the dedication that he thought would help me and it did. He knows me and tries to know me. He loves me. I am grateful for his eternal and unconditional love.  

I am grateful for my son and my daughter. They are the center of my world every day and night and minute. They rely on me for so much and so they teach me how to be who I want to be and need to be. 

I'm thankful for my kitty Dot, who is a loyal companion. She calms me and cuddles me. 

Im thankful for my parents and Collin's parents. It's really hard being a parent!!!!! I am so scared of messing these two angels up but our parents support, love, cheer us on, show confidence in our abilities as parents. It is invaluable to me to feel trust from them and feel like I might be doing some things right. And I'm thankful Thor all they did to teach and love Collin and me. 

I am thankful for friends who are my family and for the miracle of being able to keep in touch with so many purple we have met in this life. 

I'm thankful for the gospel of Jesus Christ, for prayer and revelation and for the temple and the prophet. I would feel lost and confused without it and them. 

I'm thankful for God, my Heavenly Father.  He is real and I feel him near when I am humble and thankful, with my husband and children and serving others. 

And I'm thankful for FOOD, glorious food!!  There's more but now it's game and key like pie time!!!!! Babies are sleepin!!

Declaration and thanksgiving

We are beloved spirit daughters of God, and our lives have meaning, purpose, and direction. As a worldwide sisterhood, we are united in our devotion to Jesus Christ, our Savior and Exemplar. We are women of faith, virtue, vision, and charity who:

Increase our testimonies of Jesus Christ through prayer and scripture study.

Seek spiritual strength by following the promptings of the Holy Ghost.

Dedicate ourselves to strengthening marriages, families, and homes.

Find nobility in motherhood and joy in womanhood.

Delight in service and good works.

Love life and learning.

Stand for truth and righteousness.

Sustain the priesthood as the authority of God on earth.

Rejoice in the blessings of the temple, understand our divine destiny, and strive for exaltation.

(I memorized this as one of my personal progress value experiences and I think it's awesome.)

My blessings:

Thanks and four years!!!

Today is Thanksgiving. The past few days have been rough and I'm thankful for the peace and comfort I recieve from family and friends. I'm grateful that I can find answers in the scriptures and can turn to God in prayer. I'm grateful that I have food to eat and that we can pay our bills. We live a happy eventful life. We are so blessed.

Today is also my fourth anniversary! We have been through our fair share of trials and have grown together through them. I am now more in love than ever. I am so grateful for my husband. He is my happy place. He completes me in every way. He loves me; he's positive, intelligent and sees me as his equal. I am grateful for my son. I love being a mother. I love nursing Frederick, caring for him, playing with him and teaching him. I love learning from him. He is a precious miracle in my life. I love our eternal family. I'm grateful for all of my extended family. I am grateful for amazing friends who lift me up so entirely. I am grateful for faith. It gets me through hard times. I see only blessings. Happy Thanksgiving!!!!!!

Poor Montgomery had surgery on his tail. He is okay now but he has to wear the cone of shame. We have to give him antibiotics and clean his wounds every day.





Love my brothers so much.




Freddie in the apron I used to wear when I was his age!

Starting Monday

I'm always wanting to cut out junk and candy because its such a weakness of mine but its so hard to do it alone!! But starting Monday my sister-in-law and I are doing this 21 day challenge!! We will be adding NO SODA and workouts to it and will be texting each other daily to say what we ARE eating, what exercises etc to keep accountable. Yes, I realize this goes through Thanksgiving. But it doesn't say we can't have turkey or stuffing or potatoes or salads. We will just cut out pie, cakes, and the insane amounts of fattening appetizers. I'm really excited about it! Anyone want to join us?

Thanksgiving '11

Thanksgiving 2011
Money Home


Mom and Dad Money + Mom and Dad Smith + AJ, David, Joseph, + cousins Ilene Spencer & baby Maelo + Collin + Freddie + Kitties.

We all went around the table and said what we are thankful for. I said my husband. I love him so much. And my baby; I love being a mother. And for all the men in our family who are good examples for Frederick. And for parents who taught me how important family is. and for my kitties, of course. They sure make me happy.

Thanksgiving.

2 years of $mith Greatest day picture memories

It was a lovely--no gorgeous--no perfect day in Phoenix on the 22nd of November, 2008...

I love my man

Sisters! Finally!

I LOVED my flowers

Oh, la la!

  

The Temple is such a beautiful, sacred place.

My decision to be married to Collin there was

the best I've ever made.

 

 My darlings

Moneys minus AJ, but he was there in spirit

The Smiths. I'm SO lucky to have in-laws who love

me as their own daughter/sister and who I get 

along with SO WELL! I love them!!!

Later that night..................

Sea of eligible ladies

Most delicious and beautiful wedding cake ever

Now down to business...

 And on to the REALLY important stuff:

the Honeymoon: Cozumel and Isla Mujeres

Paradise

Pure romance

Cliche, but had to:

Thanksgiving Dinner

Dearest Smith/CS/bumbum/lover/honey/kunky/buhbuh/Carcassonne-Col:

I love you even more than that day. I love you more every second. I love you when I look into your eyes, we connect, talk, fight, adventure, laugh, tickle, create, lounge, dance, play, walk, are ridiculous, funny, sweet, serve, work, exhausted, act crazy, and especially when no body gets us but us. We've been through everything in our lives to be better for each other and we'll do everything together for the rest of forever. 

Love you, man. Love you, Collin.