September Nuts and Bolts

Here’s the Smith Family run-down for September:
09.01: Labor Day is always the calm before the storm…meaning, the last somewhat quiet day before BYU starts again! We had a nice quiet day at home.
09.02: Busy, busy day with 85 students returning to our staff. Always a fun and exciting time. In the same spirit, Kadence started her pre preschool that Elizabeth and our neighbors started for a group of eight two-year olds. She has so much fun and is learning a lot already.
09.03: I was interviewed by BYU-TV for a feature story to be shown on BYU Weekly. Their topic was triple majors.
09.05: Dad and Donna watched the girls while we went to our Stake High Priests Social. They had dinner accompanied by bluegrass music and cloggers.
09.06: We held our annual Fall semester retreat for our staff, while Elizabeth and the girls attended the baptism of a boy I home teach. We thoroughly enjoyed the adult session of Stake Conference, but…
09.07:…the Sunday session would’ve gone better for Kadence and Tayah had we been assigned to the morning. Afternoons are hard! We did enjoy the broadcast that many of you took in. President Uchtdorf sure has a way of teaching us. The Priesthood leadership session was wonderful too. We had our family down for our monthly dinner, this time to celebrate Mary Sue’s birthday.
09.08: Sarah stayed the night with us to spend time with the girls. They LOVED having her here. She treated us to lunch at the Creamery.
09.10: Enjoyed a quick two-hour visit from Dad and Mom Torgesen in route from Houston to Idaho with yet another truckload. They brought a beautiful dresser for the girls.
09.12: The Utah State Fair is becoming another family tradition. We took in the sights and sounds with our great friends, the Wilkins Family. Kadence and Tayah loved seeing the animals (Daddy didn’t care too much for the smells!), junk food, and especially the little farm they had for the kids. That evening, we went bowling and to dinner with ten couples from our ward. Good times!
09.13: BYU thrashed, annihilated, and pulverized UCLA 51-0. Go Cougars!
09.16: We started our Law School campaign with the deans coming each day. I was thoroughly inspired by Ronan Tynan, BYU’s forum speaker, and Elder Ken Johnson of the Seventy, who spoke to our youth that evening.
09.20: Date night! Elizabeth and I went out to dinner and then to the Peter Breinholt/Ryan Shupe concert at Thanksgiving Point. It was a little rainy and breezy, but it was fun just to two of us.
09.21: We had the wives of the bishopric speak and Elizabeth did a marvelous job teaching about the importance of FHE and family time. What a wonderful wife and mother we have!
09.23: Primary Recognition night for our Activity Days girls. Kadence accompanied her Daddy.
09.24: We brought our youth to my LDS Philanthropies work building for a fireside about education. We hope it sunk in for them.
09.26: We filled my day off to the brim with shopping, playing and family fun. Nothing out of the ordinary, but a day we enjoyed together!
09.27: Elizabeth went to the General Relief Society meeting.
09.29: We’ve had some fun FHE’s this month, including this day’s excursion to the BYU Museum of Art (to see a Japanese art exhibit), pizza, and games at home. We had a successful stake emergency preparation drill. Oh, and the Utah Jazz started camp. Bring it on!
09.30: Elizabeth and I attended a great Youth Standards night where a former mission president and mother spoke to the youth about choices.

Other than that, Tayah continues to grow and gets cuter each passing day. She’s adding words to her vocabulary and it’s so fun to communicate with her. We couldn’t ask for a better, more lovable baby (who showers us with hugs, kisses, and tantrums to make her red-haired disposition proud). Kadence is a voracious reader and loves books! She really enjoys playing with the many girls on our street and has become much more social over the past two months. Potty training is going slowly. Elizabeth and I continue to plug away with work, home, church, and being parents. Life is simply splendid!