Recent Adventures

Although we're nearing the end of February, here are our adventures from January, courtesy of the Smith Family Nuts and Bolts newsletter:

January highlights/events


• Ushered in 2011 by all being asleep when the clock struck midnight in Utah. We felt okay about that as we had been awake for most of the world’s midnight celebrations already. Happy New Year all!

• We went about the resolution process individually and as a family and so far, so good (midway through February). These include scripture reading, temple attendance, FHE, father’s interviews, etc. Kadence has been our instigator for the scriptures goal: “We need to read scriptures Daddy!”

• I’ve gotten back into playing basketball with our ward, playing once a week more often than not. Elizabeth has also been playing basketball and volleyball with ward teams. We’ve also been going on a monthly wallyball date night with great friends from our neighborhood. Being more active? Check.

• Participated in ward sealings.

• Elizabeth has been busy with her ward missionary calling, going on regular visits and teaching gospel essentials.

• We had a great family lunch up at Darrell and Tanya’s.

• I have been a firsthand witness to the worst string of Utah Jazz basketball we’ve seen in years. Really hard to be excited about how things are going this season. Sigh…

• On the other hand, we’ve also been able to join in Jimmer mania. The excitement on campus is truly palpable. It’s been an amazing season…just need to keep it up through March!

• We discovered that Stockton has the most incredible knack for spotting a ball anywhere. A son after my own heart!

• Chuck-a-Rama with the Smith Family is always great. Happy Birthday everyone!

• Oddly enough, I had a ten-day headache that was excruciatingly painful…enough to sit out a day of work (and parts of others) and to warrant a doctor’s visit. No clear explanation, but most likely due to sinus issues (and Utah Jazz woes).

• Our bishop and I were able to be the priesthood chaperones for our Young Women winter retreat up at Aspen Grove. With all the activities, skits, workshops, etc., this was an amazing success. Unfortunately it happened to coincide with this migraine spell. Still very grateful to have gone.

• Other church things: wonderful fifth Sunday lesson about validation in marriage and families, baptism preview, annual PPIs with our auxiliary/quorum presidencies, YM/YW 2011 theme fireside, Tayah’s first talk in Primary (she did so good!).

• Kadence is getting better and better at recognizing and figuring our words. She’s on the verge of being a reader quite soon. She is such a nurturer with Stockton; she dotes on him and he adores both his sisters. She continues to love preschool, bringing home amazing projects and excitement as she talks about the things she’s learning.

• Tayah also is loving preschool and playing more and more with friends. She’s a social butterfly. She has quite a temper, which is oodles of fun. She’s doing a stellar job pottywise, as are her parents.

• Stockton’s our little communicator, picking up more words and signs. He walks around all day calling out “Mama,” which is stroking Elizabeth’s ego (not really ). He is a handful—constantly moving, full of curiosity, and never lacking on energy. Last time I checked, that was the definition of a baby boy.

• Elizabeth and I are still very boring. If anything, we love being parents to these three angels. While they keep us on our toes, they bring us more happiness than we could ever imagine.

Kadence's Birthday!

Excuse me while I pick myself up off the floor, realizing that our little baby will be five years old Sunday.  It's mind boggling.  We are so, so very grateful for our Kadence.  She is so sweet, caring, loving, fun and we cannot imagine life without her. 

We've been celebrating all week!  Thursday night, we went to Pirate Island as a family (a local children's place with a, you guessed it, pirate motif).  It's not the most kid-friendly place for little ones, but we had a fun time.

Kadence having a ball!

It didn't take Stockton long to get the hang of these rides...gearing him up for Disneyland!

Arrggghhh ye matey!  We love our Tayah too...

Friday was Kadence's birthday party with all her cute friends.  Eight three-five year-old olds = a lot of giggling, dancing, playing, hugging, and laughing.  So much fun!  Stockton was astounded by all the femaleness here.  I told him he'd one day enjoy it in this neighborhood (where the female to male ratio is rather stilted!). 

The obligatory silly shot!

And lastly, Elizabeth's masterpiece of a cake...a butterfly as our sweet girl requested.  We love you Kadence!

Earliest Utah Jazz Memories

Earliest Utah Jazz Memories

How John Stockton, the old Salt Palace, and the lowly New Jersey Nets changed my life back on a cold, wintry day in November, 1987. My latest Utah Jazz 360 blog.

Girlisms

Tayah:

• "I love playing with my Mulang and Pocanhontas dolls!"
• "...8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14..." (she must be superstitious, for our red-head always skips 13)
• "Don't worry Mommy.  When I'm married, I'll still come visit you!"

Kadence

• "Let's start at the beginding."
• "I had a dream I got baptized and you did it for me Daddy!"
• K: "Stockton is the cutest baby in the whole wide world!"  D: "You and Tayah were amazing cute too!" K: "Oh Daddy, we were never that little!"

December 2010 Nuts and Bolts

Our family newsletter entry for December 2010...great summary of a most wonderful month. 
What can be said about December? There is just something magical about it all. Here are the highlights of a very jam-packed month for us:


• Two weeks off of work!
• First Presidency Christmas devotional
• The Festival of Trees in Sandy
• South Jordan Christmas craft boutique
• Festival of Lights in Spanish Fork
• Temple Square lights (it wouldn’t be Christmas without it)
• Mormon Tabernacle Choir and David Archuleta Christmas concert with the Wilkins
• Mini-concerts at the South Towne Center featuring Jon Schmidt, Ryan Shupe and the Rubber Band, Peter Brienholt, David Tolk, Nancy Hanson, and many others.
• Kadence (with the Primary), Elizabeth, and David singing in the Christmas sacrament meeting, with David also speaking.
• The Twelve Days of Christmas, the seventh time I’ve done it for Elizabeth and once they arrived, the kiddies.
• Ward Christmas party, as well as a bishopric Christmas dinner together.
• Several work parties for David (LDSP, LDSP BYU, Telefund, and Annual Giving)
• BYU Christmas party with music, crafts, and food.
• Tithing settlement as a family and David taking his shift with the bishop.
• A Souper Christmas party at the Wilkins’, complete with gingerbread houses
• Illnesses all around (tis the season to share)
• Family dinner at Danny and Mary Sue’s for the November and December birthdays
• My birthday celebration, thanks to my sweet wife and children.
• Stake Court of Honor and a week later, pizza with the Young Men courtesy of our Stake Presidency thanks to winning the scout competition.
• Dinner with the Fransons
• Fun dinner with all the Jazz bloggers up in SLC, while watching the Jazz win
• Mailing, e-mailing, and Facebooking our 2010 Christmas letter and receiving the same from many dear family and friends.
• Delivering neighborhood gifts
• Collecting and delivering gifts from ward members for our annual giving tree. Helping out with Secret Santa shopping
• A fun visit at my aunt Sandy’s house
• Nelson Family Christmas party
• Grandpa and Grandma’s celebration
• Christmas Eve celebration with family and neighbors, with the Nativity and Twas the Night Before Christmas being the highlights
• Christmas day dinner at Dad and Donna’s with the entire clan.
• New Year Eve celebration at the Hunsakers’, with a lot of our amazing ward friends there.
• Preschool fun for both girls, including a field trip for Kadence to a local candy store.
• Lots of Noel movies, with the girls loving Rudolph, A Christmas Story, and Mr. Krueger
• A million Christmas songs, again, with Rudolph being the most sung
• Besides the usual assortment of toys, clothes, books, and movies under the tree, our family received a new camcorder and another Disneyland trip in February!
• Watching and feeling the Christmas spirit from the eyes of our beautiful children
• Especially feeling the love of Savior the entire month.

Snow, Friends, and Cute Kids!

Here is a random post, just so as to catch up a bit.  First off, here are some photos from a recent snowstorm we experienced a few weeks back.  So beautiful.  And it was even more beautiful because we did not have to go anywhere and could enjoy it from our ward house!

 Here is Kadence fashioning some of Mommy's pants.  Such adorable kids we have!

Here are a few shots of the girls with their friends, after Tayah's preschool.

And lastly, we had Brother Franson, one of great neighbors over for dinner one Sunday night (his wife was ill).  The kids adore him!  Here he is performing a magic trick for our enraptured children.  Stockton goes to him all the time at church!

New Year's: Look Not behind Thee