Hillcrest Elementary

2^nd Annual Family Walk-a-Thon

The Race is On

I thought I would make one giant thank you post for all of my family out there who didn't hang up on Jessi when she called asking for money. Last year I started this walk-a-thon and it turned out so well we decided to do it again for our elementary school. Poor Jessi has been seeing all of these presents, posters, and race flags lying around the house and just wants to keep them all. We tried the "Chuck E. Cheese" idea this year – you know where you spend tons of money to earn tickets to buy a little tiny toy. Well I had to order all the presents ahead of time so Jessi, Josh, & Shelby (it's beneath Quinn now that she's in the Intermediate School) have been drooling over the prizes you win for raising $10, $20, etc. If only I could have those presents in all of the 450 students' homes as well we might actually hit our goal! If you want to check out the website (Maria helped me create it last year) it's www.HillcrestPTO.blogspot.com Again, thanks everybody!

Lots of News

For my birthday this year Joaquin surprised me with a trip to Yellowstone with the family. He rented a hotel with a pool (that's just a must according to the kids) for 2 days in West Yellowstone. It was a little tricky because I was still on "limited bed rest" so I wasn't supposed to exercise. We just visited the sites that were close to the road and if there was a walk, I would take the short cut with Shelby while Joaquin took the others the scenic way. By the end of the day everyone was begging to come with me, wimps! We really had such a great time together and just loved having Joaquin for 2 days all to ourselves.

The kids weren't too impressed with the boiling water. "Cool I guess Dad, but are there any rides?"

This was my favorite view, the waterfalls nice but aren't Quinn & Jessi gorgeous? Hee, hee. We were able to see both the Upper & Lower Falls and loved them.

The gift shops were all the kids favorite place. "Old Faithful - cool, Paint Pots - they stink, but can we please please please go into that Gift Shop?!? I'm sure it's got something I haven't seen yet!"

Here's a great pic of us in front of Old Faithful.

Which pictures to choose? The kids favorite animal was the Bison - and we saw sooo many that by 6:30 pm (as we were trying to get out of the park) when we had to slow down for people gawking at them the kids would say, "It's just a Bison - get out of the way!"

Here's our First Day of school picture. This is the first year that Quinn & Jessi have been in the same room (with the new baby coming we did some shuffling) and it's been glorious! They come up dressed and happy around 6:30 am. Joaquin has always thought Quinn deserved her own room since she was the oldest (can you tell he was a spoiled first child as well?) and I just think that's poppycock. I've never had my own room - ever - and I'm fairly normal. Jessi used to beg to sleep with Quinn every night and then cry when she couldn't. This is so much easier for the mama - thank you new baby!

I forgot to update everyone on our kitty issue. We were happy to receive 2 kitties from "Dippins" Mother, one girl named Lily and her brother named Prince Trouble. They have survived almost 2 months now - yahoo. Other than a little bout with diarrhea - yuk - they have been the perfect pets. Quinn is still so much like my Mom says I was and just lives to be their favorite. She's been trying to train them to curl up around her neck, she feeds them ham when I'm not looking, and cries every time Joaquin tells her they need to go outside for awhile! They tolerate Shelby & Josh and Jessi still just doesn't really care.

Great New Pics

I threatened Joaquin that his posterity will always think of him as a grouch if he never smiled in pictures. After I cried shamelessly and promised him not to get pregnant again we actually had a few "happy" pictures this year. Actually I just learned how much he enjoys a good "goose" before a picture. Makes him smile every time.


Here is actually a great picture of all Joaquin's family. I realize it's obvious to everyone why I chose Joaquin, he is by far the best looking - don't you think?


We were just having too much fun as sisters & in laws. I realize this sounds awful cheazy but these women are some of my best friends. We love to laugh together & this year we cried - everyone broke down as I ordered them around from my position of power on the couch.


We were able to coerce my sweet sister-in-law Amanda to be our photographer this year at our Smith family reunion. The only problem, she took over 1200! It took me over 2 hours to finally choose my favorites and save them so I hope you'll enjoy them.

It's official, We're having a . . .

GIRL! Can you believe it? Joaquin shook his head at the ultrasound today and said, "I figured, my odds are already 3 to 1." She looks wonderful and has grown to a whopping 8 inches. The only bad news is that I'm still on the dreadfully slow, pull my hair out boring bed rest. It was all I could do to hold it together in the elevator, down the hall, and out to the truck. That's when I unleashed my tears on Joaquin who said, "Wow, you're taking this girl thing pretty hard." Got to the love that man for always trying to snap me out of misery.

We truly are happy to have a girl, I've always loved hairbows, dancing, make up, etc. Joaquin started teasing we had better start saving for weddings, I reminded him they are cheaper than missions.

My Mom & Donna both said they could do the girls school shopping with their eyes closed (they've had lots of practice). My sisters are going to take them swimming & have slumber parties with cousins again. Donna & Dennis are even going to take Josh this Friday to some kind of antique train show in Evanston, Wy. where Joaquin's younger brother Shay & his wife Diana live. I'm so grateful, but here is where my selfishness comes out - I'm jealous. Believe it or not I like to go school shopping, have slumber parties with my sisters (it still feels like one whenever we stay up late laughing & talking), and even driving to Evanston for a train show with Josh.

Enough whining, there are some perks. Dr. Carlson said I could do 1 thing a day. So I can go back to church, but then right back to the couch. I can go shopping for maybe an hour as long as I don't lift anything heavy (can't bring Shelby or go to Costco it seems)and then back to the couch. He even said I could go on a date with my husband, maybe dinner & a movie but then . . . you guessed it back to the couch without any romance. Grr.

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.