Our Budding Baby BYU Cougar

Here is Kadence four months ago. Many a time has the Cougar Fight Song saved us during a crying spell in the car. She usually claps and sings along, and then as seen here, enthusiastically gets into the rah-rah portion of things.

Kadence has BYU written all over her. She recognizes the logos, loves going on campus to visit with Daddy, and enjoys the Creamery (good girl!). Everytime I ask her if this is where she'll go to college, she energetically responds "Yah Daddy!"

Never too early to get them started!

Good-bye Po-Po

Po-Po is the Chinese word for grandmother. Yesterday, our Po-Po passed away after 91years of life and several weeks of suffering. Elizabeth and I are so grateful that things fell into place and we heeded the promptings to visit her, for she died a hour after we left. We had a tender visit with her, spending about three hours there. I have no doubts our girls cheered her up. It was one of those cherished experiences that one thanks Heavenly Father for...an experience never to be forgotten. While she was in a lot of pain, it's comforting to know that all that is past and she is free. I am truly grateful for her and the love she had for us. She and my Pa-Pa (grandfather) had a profound role in raising me. They are now our guardian angels.

Christmas Cheer

Here are some photos from a fun party we attended with great friends of ours in the ward. We had a delightful time making gingerbread houses. Correction--Kadence had a delightful time eating things as we made a gingerbread house. Kids will be kids!

November Nuts and Bolts

Our extended Smith Family has a monthly newsletter. It's been a wonderful tradition for us and helps us stay in touch with everyone's exciting happenings. Here's our entry for November. Enjoy, but first a fun photo of Kadence eating an ice cream bar to break it up!

NOVEMBER 2007
So here’s the story: my Palm is about to “give up the ghost” and with it, November’s calendar. It’s now painfully clear how overly reliant I am on this thing! As they say (whoever “they” might be), technology is great when it works for you. We’ll do our best to put the pieces of November 2007 together for the Smith Family. It’s at least worth a try for posterity’s sake, right?

Tayah is following her big sister’s example by getting cuter and cuter each passing day. She lights up the room with her smiles that she freely gives to her family. She is one extremely cuddly baby, especially if we’re out in a crowd. Although she just hit the five month mark, she’s got a pair of teeth and has had them for some time. Tayah enjoys rolling over from her back to her tummy, but gets a tad confused at that point. One thing at a time! She also had her first bit of solid food in the form of rice cereal. After an auspicious start, she’s developed quite an appetite for it. She’s a good little napper, but has reverted to at least one late night/early morning feeding session. She does a good job at church. We love our little Tayah Boo!

So as to be an example to her baby sister (and to keep her daddy from being a liar), Kadence gets more and more adorable…just when I didn’t think that was possible. She amazes us with her verbal abilities and is quite the little communicator. That’s not to say that we’re remotely spared of little tantrums! She can be one determined girl when it comes to getting what she wants, but I have to admit, it can be pretty cute . Kadence is just a little angel. She is typically very happy in the morning and enjoys pointing everything out. She enjoys playing with other kids. For a bevy of photos and fun accounts of our adventures, feel free to visit our new blog: www.kadenceandtayah.blogspot.com.

Elizabeth and I both had a great November. We’re pretty boring, so we’ll keep it at that. Needless to say, we kept ourselves busy with the girls, our callings, work, and even a little play. Elizabeth is really enjoying serving with the Young Women. She has attended many activities and has taught a few lessons already. I’m doing my best to help us stay afloat in our 660-person ward. I had the privilege of conducting a few baptisms. I spoke at one of our retreats. We also got our annual family portrait taken and had several family outings.

What would a November entry be like without mention of Thanksgiving. For the record, we were out trying to handle quite the messy diaper disaster when the whole Cranberry Rock-off went down. We went against each other and I won, but Elizabeth was pardoned because she was doing the actual changing of the dipe, not I. We had our usual battery of Thanksgiving meals (Wednesday evening and two on Thursday) and loved every minute of family, food, and fun. The Smith Family has so much to be thankful for. We did not go shopping on Black Friday, unlike previous years (although a 50-inch Sony television was calling out our names…).

Seeing as Christmas came so early, we jumped right into Christmas this month. Some of our activities: decorating our abode, hitting a craft fair, the Messiah at Abravanel Hall, the Festival of Trees, the BYU families’ Christmas party (Kadence shook hands with Cosmo…quite the momentous occasion), watching Christmas movies, attending many Christmas parties (two for LDS Philanthropies, one with the bishopric), listening and singing carols, and so forth. There is simply not a better time of the year!

30 Years of Memories

Well, I finally hit the big 3-0 yesterday. Thanks to Elizabeth and the girls, it was a wonderful, wonderful day. There is nothing more special than being together as a family and I love my ladies so much.

I initially thought hitting 30 would be a bit devastating, but all in all, it's not that bad. Sure, the fun, carefree days of my 20's are in the past, but I definitely enjoyed them. I originally was going to list 30 things that I thought I would have accomplished by the time I hit this milestone, but why dwell on that? Instead, I'm going to list 10 of the my biggest blessings that have been mine during the last decade. I was astounded as I made this list:

1: I met and married my sweetheart Elizabeth. She, as the movies say, "completes me." I know, I know, quite cheesy, but true. I love her!
2: We have the two cutest girls this side of heaven. Kadence and Tayah are our joy.
(I could easily stop here...)
3: My two years as a missionary in Japan concluded, ending a magical experience that has helped shape my entire life. I truly cherish my time with my Japanese brothers and sisters.
4: BYU provided me with a stellar education at an university I absolutely love. I was able to study things that fascinated me...literature, foreign languages, and writing. I will always be grateful for education.
5: LDS Philanthropies has been a huge blessing in my life. I am thankful to have gainful employment in a field where I feel I make a viable difference in the lives of others. I love my BYU Telefund employees.
6: John Stockton. While it was sad to see him go a few years back, one never forgets his childhood hero.
7: Church callings that have stretched and blessed me. The gospel has a direct link with every blessing that is ours.
8: Friendships that have been formed and cultivated. Friends are among life's most precious treasures.
9: Our home. There is nothing that can replace the safety and peace found in a home. It is a refuge from life's storms.
10: Family. A fellow simply could not ask for better parents, parents-in-law, siblings, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, nephews, and adopted relatives.

If all these things blessed my third decade of life, I look forward to what my 30's may bring. I'm certainly excited for Elizabeth to join me in a year and some change!

Adorability Scale

The results have come in. In the official, time-tested, never-failing Baby Adorability Scale (a.k.a. BAS), Kadence and Tayah have obtained the envious ranks of Uberadorable. Some babies are groomed for months and months and never come close to this illustrious level. For some reason, our girls do it so effortlessly, as seen in the above photos. What can we say?

Welcome December!

The magical month of December begins today. Is there a more amazing, special time of the year?

Kadence had a ball playing with her little friend Sam yesterday. They were cute together, especially when Sam would go get her chair and straighten it for her, like a little gentleman. She was also a little lady, at least for the most part!

We had a pair of Christmas parties yesterday. For me, we had an LDS Philanthropies Christmas social where we were privileged to hear from Bishop Richard C. Edgely for the Presiding Bishopric. Wonderful talk. We had great food, music, and entertainment (including the 12 Days of Christmas from our BYU-Hawaii ohana).

Last night, we also had a bishopric Christmas dinner. What wonderful people we are able to serve with. Today, we're off to the BYU Christmas party for families, and on top of that, it's snowing here!