September Nuts and Bolts

09.01: As a bishopric, we presented our annual education and finances fireside for our youth.
09.03: The tables are turned, and I present my first Telefund devotional as a guest to the returning staff. Still miss them dearly.
09.04: For the fifth year in a row, we may it to Midway for Swiss Days: lots of booths, music, food, and sun. That morning, we watched our neighbors kids (and the girls’ best friends) while their sister was born.
09.05: Attended the Telefund fall retreat. Elizabeth and then went to Jon Schmidt’s concert at Thanksgiving Point. For those who don’t know him, he is an amazing musician in the LDS genre. Amazing music in a perfect environment. BYU defeats Oklahoma and Cougar nation is ecstatic!
09.07: Pear-picking at Grandpa and Grandma’s was wonderful as usual. We enjoyed the day off together
09.09: Elizabeth went to the ward recipe group.
09.10: Our first weekly doctor’s appointment for the bay. One month from now, he will be here! Stake Roundtable for David. Elizabeth and Kadence started a second-year preschool for three-year olds in the neighborhood. There are six or seven kids whose mothers rotate the teaching. Elizabeth is up this entire month, with the baby coming and all.
09.11: We spent a good part of the day hitting the Utah State Fair…nothing like rides, livestock, and deep-fried everything! We also had an enjoyable time at the stake high priests’ social, complete with a dinner and program. It was also a pleasure to watch John Stockton and Jerry Sloan get inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame. Yes, who else would include this here?!
09.12-09.13: Stake Conference provided us with many inspirational meetings, excellent counsel, and the opportunity to sit together as a family.
09.14: We took the girls to the hospital for dinner and a class for siblings of an upcoming baby. Kadence and Tayah loved learning about babies, how to hold them, and what they can do to help.
09.15: Ward tour of our new Church cannery/storehouse here in Springville.
09.17: Our girls give their best effort to scare a doctors’ office full of kids upon receiving their flu shots. The crying was spectacular!
09.18: For our weekly date, we went to the temple for a sealing session, to the World of Dance at BYU, and to dinner. We look forward to these nights!
09.19-09.22: Our first-ever Smith Family vacation. Dad and Donna rented us a pair of condos up at Park City and we loved being together. Among other things, our “reunion” included the Alpine Slide, swimming, shopping, movies, games, Historic Park City, etc. The girls really loved being with cousins and performed during our little talent show. BYU’s BCS hopes, short-lived as they were, are crushed…as is Cougar nation.
09.22: Bishopric visits with the Stake Presidency.
09.23: Area Family History meeting where a well-intentioned brother astonished us all by speaking 1 hour, 15 mins, while allowing the presiding General Authority five minutes to close. Simply wrong. Elizabeth and I made it to the dentist.
09.24: Stake rechartering and bishopric visits.
09.25: Tayah and Kadence had fun at the Ringling Brothers Circle up in SLC; Elizabeth and David, not as much fun . Went to dinner afterward. Jazz camp opens…yeah!
09.26: Sarah (and Donna) threw a great baby shower for Elizabeth and our baby boy. Thanks to all the family that came! We took the girls to a neighbor’s birthday party, complete with a large inflatable slide, cotton candy, and pizza. We have our work cut out for Kadence’s next party!
09.28: For FHE, we went to the BYU Museum of Art to tour a Victorian Art exhibit, followed by dinner. Our stake had an annual emergency preparation test where we were checking out our communication abilities. We successfully found all 10 injuries, including death for our bishop, a flood for us, and a fire for the other counselor!
09.29: Elizabeth helped get our Youth Standards night ready, culminating with a fun American Idol-themed program, complete with texting questions about standards.
09.30: Elizabeth has a cavity filled.
The most exciting thing, obviously, is our preparation for our baby boy’s arrival. We’ve been doing the traditionally “nesting,” getting as many projects ,errands, and purchases completed. We’ve also narrowed it down to five names and will wait to meet him to give him one. The girls pray for him each day.
Tayah is still reticent when it comes to potty, and while we would’ve loved to have her trained before baby #3 comes, we’re not going to push it. She is an expert copy cat, doing whatever her sister does.
Kadence doesn’t yet realize that she’s being copied, especially when she’s acting up . She is enjoying preschool again and after a terrible spell of coming into our room at night, made a lot of progress the past week.
Elizabeth is doing great, but will be ready to have the baby. She is always helping take kids off her friends’ hands and helping neighbors in need. She was very patient as we had nine consecutive days with a church activity of sorts each night.
I had a jam-packed month that was just a blur in terms of work, church, etc. As you all now know, I’ve started writing for the Utah Jazz website.
Here we come autumn, here we come October, and here we come to the sleepless nights, constant diapers, and a lot of joy that comes with a baby!