Happy 3rd Birthday Shelby!

Happy 3rd Birthday Shelby! We had a pretty low key birthday party in the backyard this year with Grandma Donna, Grandpa Dennis, Kade, Jesalee, Jade, & Ty. Shelby loved it though and even let Jade open one of her presents. What a sweetie, huh? Of course she immediately grabbed it from her hands, but still I was impressed. She has just become the cutest 3 year old lately. She'll look at me with those big blue eyes and I just can't help but smile.


My Mom always made a big deal of our birthdays growing up. I loved that among my 10 siblings I still had one day that I got to pick dinner, a birthday cake, and presents. When Dana lived here next to me she got me started on these really cool cakes. So every birthday, as my gift to the kids, I let them surf the web, my birthday files, and books for the "perfect" cake. This year Shelby chose a purple horse. Isn't it adorable? Quinn baked the cake for me and I sat at the table making it look cool.


All our kids have wanted forever is bunk beds. Joaquin & I thought we were being so practical when we opted for "full" beds for each of the kids. We thought they would love the extra room especially as they grew. Nope. So after 10 years of Quinn begging, 8 years from Jessi, 4 years from Josh, and 3 years from Shelby we broke down and bought Shelby the biggest birthday present any of our kids have received, a bunk bed with a "full" on the bottom and a twin on top. The first night Josh, Jessi, & Shelby all crammed onto the top twin that is just inches from the attic ceiling. (Quinn insisted she was too old for that)


Can you guess what we were all saying, "Jade, don't blow. It's Shelby's birthday!"

Wyne Reunion Fun

Here's a great picture of my Mom, who planned this years reunion. She's the amazing woman who planned food, lodging, and activities for all 64 of us for 3 days. We just love her!


I love that my family plans fun activities throughout the day. I can't help it, the party planner in me just eats it up. Here's a picture of a "digital scavenger hunt" my sister Amy put together. Each team had to take pictures of a couple kissing, each family member, the cabin, etc. She's going to put them all together for us as a fun album. Needless to say every sister (and a sister in law) have thrown Halloween parties too. We're all crazy together.


Here's a picture of my favorite spot, the swing. I'm sitting with my sister in law, Gwendylon watching the festivities. She's so happy that I'm pregnant because she's the newest Mom in our family and wanted little Sinjin to have someone to play with.


Here's our family picture, aren't we gorgeous? I was just so happy to not be home on the couch this year that even camping in a tent would have been great. Our reunion spot was in Heber City, Ut. Although the cabin was huge with 22 adults & 42 grandchildren (we adopted some extras this year because my high school foreign exchange student friend, Sada, along with her husband Maricio and their 2 children flew in from Mexico for the week) it was a pretty tight fit. We opted to borrow the Lankford's camper (we are forever grateful) and it worked out perfectly. Joaquin had a great "cave" to hide in when the noise level was too high and our kids thought sleeping on the bunk beds was just awesome. I only broke down and cried once when everyone was jumping up for some fun activity. I pulled it together though after I realized my sisters were all going to run 5 miles and a few of the brother in laws were off mountain biking. Sometimes being lazy isn't so bad.

Doctor's Update

I have better news! I understand that I'm being a tad bit optimistic here, but hey that's one thing I like to do. My Doctor told me this week that my ultrasound was a "smidge" better (his words exactly). I almost jumped off the table, yahoo. He just laughed but I reminded him that the Ultrasound Technician said it looked no better and that I would be on bedrest for a few months, yuk!

He set up another ultrasound the first of August when I'll be 5 months and he really expects I'll be off bedrest completely by then. That is of course if I'm still a lazy couch potato for the next 3 weeks, but that's tons better than 3 months! There's still hope for my PTO days, becoming active again in church, and even my Halloween Party!

He also gave me the thumbs up for my family reunion next week, as long as I don't do anything. But at least I'll get to hang out with my family and watch my kids play with cousins. Joaquin felt like he got a double whammie, we can go to the Wyne reunion but absolutely no romance for these next 3 weeks. Joaquin looked right at him and said, "We're getting a new doctor." Classic.

The Tree House & why I'm so lazy lately

Joaquin is so proud of this tree house. We have had so many jokes about it as well. You know like, why isn't it attached to the actual tree, or the 16' by 20' tree house is bigger than any room in our entire house, etc. But Jessi (our little monkey who can cimb anything) and Josh (just being a boy makes him love this) have stopped whatever they are doing the instant their Dad walks in the room and says who wants to help me with the tree house? It's been a great project for the family and a few pics down you'll see where I get to watch the work in progress.

Jessi's favorite part is the rope ladder. Can you guess why? Because it's so hard for all the rest of us non-monkey people. We left it unattached at the bottom so she can pull it up and it is a beast to climb. We're considering having it be a challenge for this year's Halloween Party (that is assuming I'm off bed rest).

Here's Josh & Quinn's favorite part, the drop down attic ladder. They are also hoping for a zip line and a fireman's pole soon. Joaquin is planning to enclose a smaller "house" on top and what you see will only be the deck, but we're taking it one step at a time.

So here it is, my throne. Don't be fooled by the ordinary appearance, it's actually a chair of power. This chair, the couch, and the bed are my life now. About 2 weeks ago I started hemorrhaging (sorry men, you don't have to read this part). I am 4 months along and due on Christmas Eve, yahoo. But unfortunately this baby isn't quite sure if it wants to wait that long. We've had a couple ultrasounds and the baby looks great with a big strong heart, arms, legs, etc. but the placenta is tearing away from the uterus wall (the official word is an abruption). 70% of women heal from this so we're praying often and learning to ask for help. It really stinks to be humbled you know.
Joaquin has really stepped up to the plate doing laundry, dishes, cooking, and even cleaning. I've learned to stop nagging. If the bathroom smells like Josh missed again, I breath through my mouth. If there are toys all over when friends drop by to visit I don't apologize. When I put on a used to be white shirt and realize it's now a shade of yellow because someone washed all the whites with a bright yellow towel, I try to smile and say it's now buttercup not whtie. And when I'm so lonely that I just want to I cry, I think of all my friends who are taking care of my children, my husband who works 11 hours a day at Napa then comes home to work another 3, and even my Heavenly Father who has something I'm supposed to learn from this. Exactly what that is I don't know yet, but I'm sure hoping this baby sticks around so that I will find out.

Jessi's Baptism

Jessi was sooo excited about her baptism on Friday, July 3, 2009. She was pretty nervous about her Bishop's interview (you know Bishop Worton is pretty serious!). She said he asked her some hard questions like who was Jesus baptized by? I asked her if she knew the answer and she said, "Well ya, but I had to think about it."
We even had a full house because Jessi was lucky enough to be baptized with her 2 cousins, Avery Brown (who lives in Blackfoot, Id.) & Mya Showalter (who lives in Buffalo, NY). Both families agreed it would be great to share this day with us. I felt the spirit so strongly when I saw my little daughter and neices being immersed in the water. I was so proud of the choice she made to join the church. Jessi was confirmed in a circle with lots of Uncles, both Grampas, and her father who blessed her to be a peacemaker and a help to her mother. Although I'm not sure the exact wording, my favorite phrase was "Jessi, you have brought joy and happiness into our family." It's so true!

Here's Jessi with Avery and Mya. A funny little side note is that Jessi was actually due after both of these cousins but surprised us all by coming 2 weeks early. We always tease that she crowded in line up in heaven.

I know she's not smiling, but she was pretty tired of the camera by the end of the evening. I asked Quinn to take pictures since I had to be sitting and lets just say we had around 75 and counting by the time this one was taken.

New Kitty - Dippins

As you can tell by this wonderful picture we received a free kitty named Dippins (Quinn insisted that we keep the name her original owner's gave her - we think it's pretty cute). Shelby has lugged this poor kitty around everywhere and she just purrs. Quinn is ecstatic, any animal is good for her! Jessi & Josh are happy to take a turn but don't seem to mind if it's only for a few minutes (they're happiest in the treehouse).
Now the only sad news is that we took Dippins to Glenns Ferry with us over the 4th of July weekend and Grampa accidentally ran over her. We're lucky though because Dippins has a brother that looks almost identical to her and Quinn's bringing him home tomorrow. Cross your fingers that he is just as mellow as his sister. We haven't told Shelby, Josh, or Jade yet so we'll see what happens. Quinn & Jessi are still in Glenns Ferry and had a beautiful funeral for her with lots of flowers they told me.

My last April Entry

We got to babysit Kade & Jesalee's kids for a few days while they went to a warm, vacation called the Domincan Republic. The high points were that Ty just loved Josh & followed him around everywhere. Josh in turn wanted to feed him, sleep with him, and play with him all day. The low point was that I had to drag them all to Dr. Timmons on Wednesday because Quinn had strep throat, Josh & Shelby had ear infections, and Jade & Ty were already on antibiotics for ear infections. So 5 out of the 6 kids had to be drugged every day. Plus Jessi just cried because she couldn't stay home with everyone, and Quinn cried because she missed school. Go figure.

We tried to do what the prophet asked us by starting a garden. We let the kids plant carrots, tomatoes, watermelons, and peas in little starter kit. Wish us luck!

Last but not least I took this picture last night to brag on my husband. He might hate wearing white shirts to church, he might think all men that dance are gay, he might cringe every time I say "Let's go visit my family," and might throw a tantrum every time I mention that I'm leaving the house over night, BUT he is the best Dad in the entire world to our kids. Every night he'll tease, tackle, and get everyone involved in bedtime. This picture is of him "tucking in" Shelby & Josh. How cute is he?

More April News

Do you think Josh likes his superhero kite? It was the perfect kite flying weather for most of April - windy.

We love to have multiple Easter egg hunts in our house. The Easter Bunny hides all the candy filled plastic eggs in the house then we hide & find the real eggs in the yard about half a dozen times on Easter.

Believe it or not I got in front of the camera, it doesn't happen very often.

I just loved this picture! "Josh, don't touch those eggs! They're mine!!!!!" Every year, whoever is the youngest in our family has major trauma on Easter. We've tried having an older & younger kids Easter egg hunt, we've even tried one half of the yard for the older & another half for the younger, but after Shelby I just gave up. Quinn screamed when she was 2 and had to share eggs with her cousins, Jessi cried when she was 2 and had to share with Quinn, Josh cried when he was 2 because he couldn't outrun the girls, and Shelby (who is shockingly 2) just plain screamed at Josh. Do you see a pattern here? Sharing is something that my children have to be taught - over and over and over and over again. And of course, I've realized that it is a rite of passage to cry though Easter when you're 2.

My April Catch Up Entry

It's been a pretty busy month, what with Teacher Appreciation & Art Mom for the PTO, Stake Leadership meeting for being the Primary Chorister, Activity Days (which is my other calling), filing our personal taxes, doing all of Napa's taxes, payroll, & bills, studying & attending my Finance Class at ISU (only 2 classes left!), and all of these fun pictures too. Wow, that makes me feel better - I should make a list more often. As you can tell from above we were able to have McKenna, Chelsea, & Avery over conference weekend. We all love those girls.

Dyeing Easter eggs was Shelby's favorite thing (you couldn't tell from the picture could you?). I let her & Josh dye a dozen eggs before Quinn & Jessi got home and they had dyed, dropped - and consequently cracked, then peeled, and were ready for more before the girls came home.

We had our first backyard campfire this year. It brought back all those wonderful campfire memories. When we were poor college students camping was our cheap date. We would go camping every chance we got in the summer. Even with all our beautiful children we still try to go on a big family camping trip once a year (we put in this fire pit so we could pretend to be camping every weekend - actually camping is a lot harder now that there are six of us to pack for)

Hot Hot HOT TUB!

We got a hot tub! We were lucky enough to get a used hot tub that has been constant entertainment for our family. Kade & Jesalee, Dennis & Donna, and us all bought it together then we put it in Donna's fenced in backyard. We have always loved Lava Hot Springs, so we figured this is a little bit cheaper in the long run. Jesalee was a good sport & sat with the 4 youngest Smith's the first time.

I can't really tell if they're having fun, what do you think?

The only negative, I can't keep clothes on my children now. Josh will wake up and put on his swim trunks or just walk around in his briefs. Great. Jade used to hate clothes a baby (and to be honest, still would choose to be naked- hmm what goes on in her house?!?) so now she loves to come over and strip down with all my children. I figure it's 71 degrees in the house, so I'm all for less laundry.

We were pretty excited to have Kami & Cooper visit us right after we got the hot tub. They would have loved to stay in it all day but I was getting frost bite standing around in my coat. It sounds fun to get in with them, that is until you have to get out and then get each of them out in 30 degree weather. Joaquin & I have just been enjoying the late night dips once the children are in bed. Shockingly I haven't got any pictures of that, sorry to disappoint.