Dear Blog

Dear Blog,

I am so ashamed to come to you tonight with the sorriest sap of pictures for a Thanksgiving weekend, ever known to man. Or at least ever known to this blog. It's just not like me to have one of the greatest weekends I have had in a long time and only have four sorry pictures to show for it.

But you see I have been busy, so busy, so wonderfully busy with family, food and other such fun. I have been so busy that I just did not have time to pick up my beloved camera and take pictures. Or at least pictures on film, I did however take loads of pictures in my mind. Pictures in the form of memories that I can pull out of my arsenal and remember for years to come.

Blog this is the only picture I took on Thanksgiving day. A little Baby K ready to go to Grandma and Grandpa Smiths for our Thanksgiving dinner. I didn't even get a picture of the boys little blog, not one. But the pictures in my mind oh they were wonderful. Picture this if you will: little old me carving the Thanksgiving turkey with an eclectic carving knife. Yes blog it's true, I carved the Thanksgiving turkey, or one of them, we had two. Never in my life have I carved a turkey, let alone the crowned king of Thanksgiving turkey. Thankfully I still have all of my fingers in tact. I let the carving go to my head, got a little cocky in my destruction. It was fun, next year I have an overwhelming desire to do it again.

Blog on Friday my sister and I hit the sales. However we start at a decent hour, you will never find me in a retail line at 1 am. NOPE! I start at 11 am, and shop till I drop. Blog do you know we even shopped with three littles in tow. Katelynn, Brev and Elle and we still managed to go crazy. I am almost successfully finished with Katelynn and Lance, but Lukey boy I still have a ways to go on his Christmas. Friday night Eric went to the Jazz game with his dad, so we stayed and played with Ash and the kids. Blog did you know my sister makes the best hot chocolate ever she puts 4 scoops of hot cocoa mix in each cup -- FOUR-- I only do two. Love my sister, she is the greatest.

Blog on Saturday night I had the worlds greatest date night. Dinner at Maddox and us cheapskates even made the early bird special $12.00 instead of $15.00 for my customary turkey steak. Maddox I love you, I do blog, I love Maddox. It's delicious and always worth every penny. Next up we went to Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows Part 1. Oh blog it was everything I hoped it would be and more. From the very beginning when Hermoine is erasing her parents memories of her I cried, and then I squealed and grabbed Eric's arm in giddy excitement because I am never happier than when watching a Harry Potter movie for the first time. It was wonderful, oh so wonderful, I loved every last second of it.

My last excuse for not taking any pictures this weekend is because I was too busy planning my lesson for Relief Society in all of my non existent spare time. Blog I was a nervous wreck this time around for the lesson it was on Fidelity in a marriage. Hello I was shaking in my boots up there, but glad it went well, and I came home and celebrated with a diet Pepsi. After giving a lesson on Fidelity trust me I needed that Pepsi.

So that's it blog a big weekend for me carving turkeys, shop till I drop, Harry Potter and Fidelity lessons.....I am a new woman I think.

Though I promise you this blog never again will I have such a sorry selection of pictures to choose from. I am ashamed at myself, I am usually so dedicated, so on top of things. Next time, next time.........

Your faithful friend,

Jenny

"The Great Blizzard of 2010"

We survived "The Great Blizzard of 2010".

I am sorry but I had to laugh every time I heard that phrase on the news these last few days regarding the storm we got yesterday. It was supposed to be one of the worst in years, of epic proportions.

It wasn't that bad.

I mean sure it was a lot of snow in a short amount of time. I mean sure we could barely look out our window and see our neighbors next door. Sure the wind was astronomical, I truly think that was the worst part. And yes it is unbelievably cold like -15 cold, but the great blizzard I don't think so. I am grateful schools were cancelled, businesses were closed, Eric arrived home safe and sound through the canyon by 2 pm a good two hours before it started. But honestly I was expecting more much more, from the way they talked this thing up.

My day yesterday started out crazy. As moms do you find if you don't plan out every little detail to the very last minute, your day can catapult into a disaster if even one minute gets thrown off. Or is that just me? Am I the only loon that has to schedule a time to eat a bowl of cereal for breakfast or it doesn't get done.

I double booked myself major for yesterday. Luke's class was having Thanksgiving Feast, grandparents, parents, families were invited of course that coincided with Lance's Thanksgiving Feast that I had promised to be a room mother for. No problem Eric doesn't have class on Tuesday's he would go with Luke I would go with Lance. Except for one thing, a surprise meeting last minute, Eric is out. Okay no problem my dear sweet mother in law offered to come up and go with Luke while I would go with Lance.

6:00 am -- Get up, get ready.

6:30 am -- Get boys up, breakfast on the table, bags packed, Katelynn fed.

7:45 -- Pile everyone in the car, drop off Lance at Kindergarten. Normally I just drop him off out front so I don't have to haul everybody inside, but I need to ask his teacher something. I haul Katelynn out the wind is already arrived, Luke is sliding all over the place and Lance is bellowing at us all to hurry up, he is excited for his feast.

7:55 am -- We finally make it inside the school, his teacher greets us at the door. Surprise Kindergarten has been cancelled for the day, due to the coming storm. Lance is devastated, he wanted that feast which has now been postponed until next Monday. I am thrilled! One that I didn't just drop him off like I normally due, poor little fella would have been stranded. And two I get to now attend Luke's feast.

8:00 am --Hurry and call my mother in law, tell her I don't need her to come up anymore unless of course she wants to.

8:30 am --Drop Luke off at school.

9:00 am -- Arrive back home, make beds, clean up breakfast, start a load of laundry, glance at the Feast instructions. Whoops I forget I am supposed to bring a pie.

9:45 am --Pile Lance and Katelynn in the car and drive to Village Inn to buy a banana cream pie. Listen to Lance complain, complain and complain some more about how "it's just not fair, I don't get my feast and Lukey does, I don't want to go, I just want Kindergarten."

10:30 am -- Back at Sound Beginnings to watch my cute little Indian, sing 10 little Indians.

11:00 am -- The feast begins, they had everything turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, corn, green beans, rolls, sweet potatoes and a bazillion pies.

The turkey cupcakes were favorites in this family.Except for their stupid mom took a picture of the turkey cupcake backwards, stupid, you can't even see his cute face.

12:00 pm -- we leave Sound Beginnings the sky is eerie looking it's like you can just feel the storm brewing, I become anxious to get home.

12:30 pm -- Arrive back home and flip on the weather channel. See that all schools have been cancelled, including the University's, most importantly Weber State.

1:00 pm -- Call Eric, find out he is on his way home, having just reached the canyon. The winds are picking up, but still no sign of snow.

1:30 pm -- My father in law arrives, he was just in the area and dropped in to say hi to the kids, he waits around until Eric arrives home a few minutes later. Then we kick him out, he needs to make it home through the canyon before the storm hits.

2:00 pm -- I bundle the kids in their snowsuits they head outside with their friends, a last excursion before they are summoned in.

3:00 pm -- The wind picks up like crazy, it's unsafe for the kids to be outside anymore, in they come for hot chocolate and a movie.

4:00 pm --Miss Katelyn looks cute, I take some pictures. The house looks weird, dark and eerie, it's coming.

4:30 pm -- The first flakes arrive, it's hard to tell what is new snow and what is just snow from our previous weekend storm being blown by the wind.

4:45 pm -- In just 15 short minutes, we are in a full out blizzard, it's spooky yet mesmerizing too watch.

5:00 pm -- My mother calls it just hit Brigham, she wants to know how bad it is here?

5:02 pm -- My mother in law calls, in Layton they have still not seen any snow, she wants to know when did it hit, how bad was it, the details?

5:15 pm -- My sister calls it has hit Layton and just like I said within 15 minutes you can't see your hand in front of your face.

6:00 pm --Apparently I am not the only one who enjoyed watching the madness outside. Lukey took up permanent resident by our little window in our entryway.

6:30 pm -- We have dinner, we leave our kitchen window blinds open, just so we can see what's going on. It's still coming down hard.

7:00 pm -- We bath the kids, have prayer, read scriptures, story time, sing songs. Put the kids to bed, Lance is scared he doesn't like the loud wind.

8:00 pm -- All kids are asleep, Eric and I sit down to bowls of hot cocoa ice cream and of course hot cocoa.

9:00 pm -- I pull out my Mary Higgins Clark book to finish off, a good book, a storm a brewing, comfy in my bed, perfection.

11/24/10

This is what my front porch looked like when I pulled my door open this morning. Keep in mind it's our front porch it's covered, usually even in a bad storm the porch remains pretty much untouched. So I guess it was a doozy, but still not the doozy I was expecting.

"The Great Blizzard of 2010" -- we are alive and well!

Winter Wonderland

It swirled and swirled and swirled and swirled white flaky snow all weekend long.

Sometimes it's a bother, like when plans get cancelled due to the weather. Sorry we missed your birthday Elle Belle, sorry we couldn't babysit Ash! Sometimes it's a bother like when it takes 30 minutes to take your boy to school Monday morning because you can barely get out of your driveway let alone down the street to the school. Sometimes it's a bother, like when you have to go on a mad hunt searching for lost mittens and hats to bundle up for it's frigid air. Sometimes it's a bother, like when your 4 year old wears his brand new gloves for the first time and after one day surprise, surprise we are missing one already. You gotta be kidding me.....

But most the time, most of the time it's a joy and a pleasure waking up to that world of white.


It's the perfect time to throw on the good faithful "Miracle on 34th Street and finish up that Christmas decor (pictures to come). It's the perfect time to make forts out of your moms totes and boxes.

It's the perfect time to buy two new flavors of Stephens hot cocoa and whip cream and sip, sip away.


It's the perfect time to trim the tree and bask in the glory of twinkling lights.

It's the perfect time to wait for just the right moment for that downfall of white to seize bundle up in the car and head out on the town for a night off from the kitchen, dinner at Chili's. The darkness enveloping your car with white as far as the eye can see across the fields and mountains.

It's the perfect time to break out Farr's Peppermint ice cream, just because it's good.


It's the perfect time to hunker down in your PJ's and instantly become your favorite Superhero, on a warpath for good. Iron Man was in fine form this weekend.

It's the perfect time for Sunday morning Swedish Pancakes.

It's the perfect time for sledding in your backyard with your best friend on the dirt hills that will soon become our church.

Yup, we are walking in a winter wonderland around here.

Here is to two more full days of snow and the high being 15 degrees on Wednesday. My fridge is stocked, my hot chocolate supply is in good demand. I plan on spending the next two days cleaning, baking, attending a few Thanksgiving feasts with my two favorite little turkeys. And most importantly watching the snow continue to fall from my windows. It's gonna be good...... and clear up just in time for our Thanksgiving weekend!

Wish List Part 1

I did a little Christmas shopping today, just a little bit. But this bad bug has hit me, my lists are made, I am checking things off one by one. Bath and Body Works has the most delightful scented soap Twisted Peppermint, I heard my all time favorite Christmas song "Oh Holy Night" Josh Groban version. Now I just have this itch to shop, shop, shop.

So that got me thinking about what is on my Christmas wish list this year. Would you like to see, what is at the very top:

Little Kitchen Aid, do you know you are the perfect shade of red to match the decor in my already red kitchen? Do you know my little hand feels like it is on fire every time I make a batch of cookies from all that stirring? Do you know I consider myself a baker, yet it has never been my privilege to own a tool that every baker must have.

Maybe just maybe I could finally take on a Tres Leches cake and have victory and not utter failure. I have tried and tried and tried again, a hand held mixer is just not up to par, those egg whites refuse to puff up.

Santa do me a favor, I have been a good girl, I think a chef like myself deserves a little pampering. I have been good I promise.......

Speaking of the perfect shade of red, hello Fiesta ware you would also look fantastic in my kitchen in a variety of colors. Mix and match, throw a party, a dishwasher full of your prettiness, yes I would like a few dozen sets please.

Only one thing lower your prices, just a smidgen. I have a feeling this may stay on my wish list, for longer than I like....... Eric is not feeling the cuteness of your colors when a set of 4 costs $25.00. He is not feeling the love.

I have heard from one too many people how great this series of books is. They have moved to the top of my must have, must read list. I can think of nothing greater than curling up with a good series in mid January, with falling snow, hot chocolate, rainbow marshmallows, and maybe a roaring fire.

Yes I need these.......

Ugg boots I want them bad, WANT THEM WITH CAPITOL LETTERS, RIDICULOUSLY LARGE CAPITOL LETTERS WANT THEM BAD!!

And just for fun here is little Katelynn's wish list, oh the cuteness!!

Katelynn pink faced, a winter wonderland, bundled from head to toe, yes these are too cute.

Perfect for her round little head.

I adore this little outfit from Gymboree, perfect for a little Baby K.

Every little girl deserves her very own first pair of pink wheels, she would look stylin' in this!!

Come on Santa don't let us down, the ladies of the house have been good, very very good this year!

Stay tuned for the Wish List Part 2, the boys take it very seriously. We are talking multiple letters to Santa have already been sent.

I am Thankful

I love November.....I love Thanksgiving......I love this month in between Halloween and Christmas.

I love counting my blessings......

I love the warmth, cozy fires, thick slippers.....

I love pumpkin pie, turkey and mashed potatoes.....

However as much as I love all of that I can tend to look past it with anticipation of my favorite Holiday to come Christmas. I start listening to Christmas music the second it starts playing, you will find my car set to permanently play it from now until December 25th. I am up to my elbows in ornaments, flocked trees, twinkling lights, stocking, red and green. My house is almost set to go just a few finishing touches and I am ready for the holidays. I have a good start on my holiday shopping, my Christmas cards are ordered.

Yes if I am not careful, Thanksgiving doesn't get the attention it deserves.

So in attempt not to forget to count my many blessings this season, a little list of the small things that are making me truly stop and say thank you, thank you for these little moments.

I am thankful for Luke who loves to sing yet sometimes makes up his own words to the tunes. Our recent favorite song to "Follow the Prophet", Luke's version "Snowman was a prophet, he was made of snow". It's cute, so cute.

I am thankful for Katelynn when her brothers get her a giggling, it's like magical bells ringing the sound of her laugh brought to me by my boys.

I am thankful for my upcoming concert to the Oakridge Boys at the end of November. What's that you don't know who the Oakridge Boys are? Well just ask your Grandma I am sure she would know. I share a musical liking with the Grandmas in the world.

I am thankful my mom taught me to appreciate all kinds of music, particularly The Oakridge Boys Christmas Album, it's a goody.

I am so thankful Lance has a vivid imagination. Even if that means destroying my mom's playroom in his attempts to be King Tritan destroying Ariel's treasures. Sorry again mom. I will have you know he will never do that again because "That made Ariel sad when her daddy destroyed her treasures, and it made Grandma sad when we made a mess of her treasures". Naughty but funny.

I am thankful to Eric for being so willing to take the boys to school in the mornings and giving me my much needed alone time. Without him this family wouldn't function.

I am so thankful for Lance when he uses his sugar sweet voice to Katelynn. "I am sorry Baby K, you can't play with that it will hurt you, okay sweetie". He is a mindful big brother that boy.

I am thankful to my mom who still makes time to come help me set up my Christmas Village. It's tradition just me, her, the village set, and our cokes.

I am thankful for a good Mary Higgins Clark book I am reading, it's giving me goosebumps, the good kind.

I am thankful that Lance still loves to give me kisses and loves when I walk in his Kindergarten classroom every week to volunteer, I will hold onto those kisses for as long as he is willing to give them.

I am thankful for Luke and his nightly prayers where he asks "please help me to learn to talk, and please help me to be a good boy". He is spot on with that last part, I pray every night he will be a good boy the following day too, that boy he keeps me on my toes.

I am thankful for naptime and a good solid 3 hours to accomplish what needs to be done for the day before the boys arrive home.

I am thankful for three warm cuddly healthy little babies who have found a permanent iron grasp in my heart, and a husband who still makes my heart flutter and wonder what in the world I did to deserve him.

Yes......

So many little things to be grateful for, it's in the little things that make the big things that much sweeter. These are the things that bring me joy and happiness in this calling of being a wife and mother, even in the mundane moments there is joy.

Weekend Recap

Do you ever have a feeling you need a weekend to recover from your weekend?

I need that right now.

To start things off we attended Eric's Grandmother's funeral on Saturday. It was beautiful, touching, and a wonderful day to be a part of. It's a wonderful thing knowing she is the arms of her sweetheart where she has wanted to be for the last few years, just biding her time here on earth. Beautiful Day.

That's Eric's dad Steven Ralph.

I didn't get a ton of pictures, but a few of the kids being kids at the cemetery playing in the nearby field. And for the record I just may want to be buried in the Cornish cemetery, a beautiful quiet oasis out in the middle of nothing, it's so lovely and peaceful there.

Switching gears we went onto to Disney On Ice. It was a long day at the funeral and luncheon and we were pretty darn exhausted to be heading down to Salt Lake for the evening. But what do you do, we had bought the tickets a month ago and the kids were so excited. Eric and I had to drag ourselves down there but boy are we glad we did. Or I should say I am glad we did, Eric looked pretty bored other than watching the boys have fun, he wasn't loving Disney on Ice. I don't know why it was delightful, singing the songs, being bopped on the head with Luke's souvenir one too many times, sticky feet from snow cones, stuffed Flounders that cost $12.00 what's not to love about that!

See some of us had fun.

I would like to introduce you to the newest member of our family "Flounder Smith", yes he really did name him that.

I just had to document this picture.

This is the newest craze in Kindergarten. I don't even know what these things are called but man those Kindergartner's are obsessed with them. Lance has been begging and begging and begging for me to buy him these. Well every time we are out and about I can't find them. The other day we were at Target and low and behold these little babies had a display all of their own.

I bought Lance some.

They have not left his wrist since, he has now acquired a few new additions as well, seems the kids trade each other for different shapes. Lance has the Marvel Superhero additions, they are going fast with these five year olds.

It was our ward Primary Program on Sunday, my boys both did their parts beautifully. Well Lance did, Luke muttered something in the microphone and then took off towards his seat. But hey he is a Sunbeam I guess that's allowed at that age.

Eric and I enjoyed sitting through Sacrament meeting with only one little one to entertain for the hour. While those lovely primary teachers herded all the kids for the program. It was nice......too bad it won't happen again until the next Primary Program...... next year.

And this one.

She was around for the weekend despite being in no pictures. Poor baby has her very first yucky cold, it's a milestone just like walking in my book. That first cold,...... the rocking,..... cuddling,..... doting .....she has gotten it all this weekend.

Hope your weekend was full and happy as well!

Friday Favorites

Just a few favorites to finish off the week:

Luke had to bring a family collage to school this last week, I had the most fun putting one together for him.

Does somebody want to come babysit my kids a few hours a week, so I can take up scrapbooking again. After projects like this I miss it so. Grandma's any takers, you want some extra time with these grand kids don't you?

I will make you a special lunch of PBJ's and BBQ chips, sound tempting?

I will even throw in an oreo -- white fudge covered!!

Do you have an area in your house that collects the junk?

In our house it's our staircase, at the bottom I pile everything that needs to go up and and at the top I pile everything that needs to go down. Makes Eric crazy, he has tripped over the Little People Barn one too many times. But if he wouldn't thunder down the stairs like a bull, maybe he would have time to stop before crashing into things. Just a thought, dear....

Even the snow doesn't stop this little fella from being outdoors......

It help that his best friend is a more than willing play mate in the snow.

Honestly doesn't this just look miserable.

I remember as a little girl coming in from the cold and standing downstairs in our half bath my hands under the warm tap water for as long as my mom would let me. Finally I would hear her yelling at me to turn it off. What to know something cute?

I caught Lance doing that exact thing a few days ago, I went back in time about 20 years watching him.

Just one more sign the cold is coming -- wet shoes laying out to dry in the kitchen under the heat vent.

Baby K trying something new, this time I caught him feeding her yogurt.

My fall comes down this coming week and Christmas goes up!

It will take me over a week to get it all set up, I go nice and slow but man am I ready!!

Happy Friday, have a wonderful weekend!

Family Photo Shoot

Here we go, a few favorites from our family pictures 2010.



A keeper, this one is my very favorite.


Lancey Boy.

Lou Bird.

Baby K

Katelynn looks a little pained, but my shoes are looking cute, that's important.....

Success.....all three smiling......at the same time........tell me does this happen often?

The answer is no, we head swapped Lance from another photo. You got to be kidding me, like I would ever get one of all three smiling at the same time, that's asking entirely too much.

Oh Eric.....

Poor Katelynn is holding on for dear life, pull her dress down a bit, hold her upright, fix her bow.....men, sheesh.

Just a few reminders for next time dear.

This shot only had about 50 out takes, do you have any idea what it takes to get these two for just a second to stop shoving, pinching, squealing and bugging each other......it's also asking a lot.

Just me and my girl.

Overall I was happy with the way they turned out, everybody managed to stay clean, happy and smiled on cue. Can check that fun to do off my list, until next year.

Now if you will excuse me I am about to watch Lady A on the Country Music Awards.......it's a good night for television if you are a country fan!!