Once There Was A Snow Man!

It snowed all day today. The kids were so excited. They asked me to watch Frosty the snowman with them in between conference. After we watched Frosty. Jacob called Papa Reuel on his own. He begged him to PLLLEEEAAASSSEEE come make a snowman with him. I was working on the rag quilt for the baby when all of a sudden I didn't feel so good. I went to lay down. To my surprise Jake came and took a nap with me. We must have been sleeping real good, because we didn't hear the phone or the door. Marli was sleeping in the living room. She came in all excited. Papa Reuel is out in the front yard doing something. I was like no way. So we got up and opened the front door. Sure enough Grandpa came all the way out to our house to make a snowman with Jake. Jake was like just a second I'll be right out. I have never seen him get dressed so fast in all my life.





When we lived on Circle S Grandpa Reuel made a snowman with Jaxon. He always said he was going to make a bigger one with Jax. They never had that opportunity. I was so touched that Grandpa was inspired to do this with Jake. It meant the world to my little guy. Grandpa you are the best. I appreciate you taking the time to come out and spend this time with these kids. They needed this so much. I'm sure Grandpa had a million things to do after conference before Priesthood meeting. He didn't even think about anything, but making Jakey's wish come true.




Jake told me when we were laying down for our nap..."When I wake up Grandpa Reuel will come make a snowman with me"! I didn't say anything. I never thought Jake would be so right.










Jake thought it was just as much fun throwing snowballs as making the snowman. He would get a little too excited when he would throw the snowballs at everyone. He was having the best time ever.



Marli wanted a snow dog. After they made this humongous snowman they made a snow dog for Marli. The three of these kids were having the best time. I wish you could hear the laughter. What an amazing day. The snow was so wet. Grandpa is so smart he made Frosty a chair to support him. It's a good thing,because he was so heavy he was starting to lean to one side.


When I asked Jake what the name of his snowman was he looked at me like DUH? Mom! Frosty of course. Marli said my snowdog's name is Frosty's snowdog. Ok then!

Isn't he the cutest snowman you have ever seen? I told Grandpa, Jake and Marli that Jaxon was smiling. I'm sure Jaxon was so happy watching this.

Shoveling Snow

The kids got the shovels out and were having a blast shoveling the snow.






This picture cracks me up of Miss Marli. Her gloves were having a hard time staying on. This snow was so wet. When I finally bribed the kids to come in for hot chocolate and soup they were soaking wet. I wish I would have taken a picture of them drinking their hot chocolate. It was the first time I made it in big mugs for them. They were holding the mugs like big people. Jake was so happy. He kept saying look Mom I'm drinking it like a grown up.


What a fun Saturday this turned out to be. I'm thankful that the snow brought our family together and made the kids so happy.

I Love This Kid

Today I really want to share these pictures of my sweet Jacob. I love this kid so much. Lately he has been so in tune with me and has been so sensitive. He has said things to me that have literally blown me away. I am so thankful for him.





Grandma Bette got Jake this Boston red sock T-shirt and hat for his birthday. He loves the red socks because Uncle Kyle loves them. He was so happy to wear this today. I had to take pictures of him looking so cute.


This last week Jake has really discovered Lego's. He has played with them nonstop. Jaxon loved Lego's and enjoyed making things. In Jake's room there are all of Jaxon's Lego's. They've been there all this time. Jake would play with them a little here and there. He never dumped them out and really just went for it. So after discovering Lego's and realizing he can make whatever his mind comes up with....my living room floor is covered in every size Lego ever made. At first I thought I was going to have a nervous breakdown over this mess. Anyone who knows me knows I hate clutter. I can't have messes. We have to contain this. Not in the living room. The room everyone who comes over sees. Then I realized he is having fun. He is being creative. He is entertaining himself. He needs to do this. So I have come to terms with this madness. It's all good. Look closely at this last picture. He is so happy with these little Lego guys. Wednesday Jake was at my mom and dad's and they found the hugest tub of Lego's. They were Brandon's. Jake was so excited he told Grandma Bette "I need your phone, I need to call Brandonbob"! So he called Uncle Brandon and asked if he could play with his Lego's. Brandon told him to have fun and enjoy them. There are some super cool Lego's in that tub. This week he has built some really amazing things. Ryan will get down on the floor and these two cutie pies will play Lego's for hours. I think this is so awesome. I love to watch them. I love how Jake will run up to me show me what he's made and explain to me what it is,how it works. His little voice is so happy and he is living. He is really living. This makes me so happy.



Today is my day off. The kids had pre-school. Papa Bill called me at 8:30 a.m. and asked me if the kids were ready for school. I said yeah. He said I'm on my way to get them and I'll take them to school. Before I could say anything he hung up and was at my garage door. My Dad is is the greatest. He knows I haven't been feeling well and is so thoughtful. It's rainy and gloomy out today. So instead of me having to drive clear across town to take the kids to school, to just turn around drive home for 2 hours to turn around and pick them up. I got to stay home and get so much done. Thank you Papa Bill, you are so good to me. I love you! I cleaned the basement, started laundry, showered, painted my toenails (which was a huge accomplishment), and cleaned my scrapbook room. Earlier this week I made cards and left my scrapbook room in quite a mess. I started a scrapbook calendar project back in April that I found unfinished. I'm going to get it completed today. Then I'm going to get going on the dragonfly rag quilt that I've been putting off. I want to get it done for our new little guy. I picked the kids up from school, we went to Fred Meyer's did a little shopping and then the kids and I went to Jalisco's by the river for lunch. Jacob loves Jalisco's. It was so fun just the three of us enjoying lunch. On the way home Jacob said the sweetest thing to me. He asked me if we were going to adopt our baby when he is born. I explained that Mommy is having the baby so he is ours and we don't have to adopt him. I asked him why he thought of adopting. He asked me questions about Aunt Erin and Uncle Mark. Then he said "I'm so glad Erin and Mark adopted Luke, because if they didn't he would have never come into my life". Wow! I called Erin and shared this with her. I was so touched by him thinking this.

Life Is Short

I am in shock as I'm writing this. Monday we lost two incredible ladies. Tuesday Ryan received a phone call from Lance Mccord our friend Leann's husband. Leann worked at 3B with Ryan for years. Ryan was her boss when he was lead supervisor. She was 34 years old and the mother of four. She passed away at her home Monday. She was the biggest sweetheart. She went to high school with us. Her youngest child was a little older than Jaxon and had a lot of health problems. She spent a lot of time at Primary children's with him. We always had so much in common. We would talk for hours. She helped with the fundraisers for Jax. It's interesting in high school people were afraid of her and thought she was a bad ass. When you got to know her, she would do anything for you and just the coolest girl. I love her and will miss her so much. I feel so sad for her family.

Yesterday I was at work and received a phone call from one of our patients Jason Onken. His wife was 36 and went to bed and died in her sleep. I had just seen them both at Walmart. I was completely floored when he was talking to me. I couldn't believe what he was saying. Jean ran a daycare in her home and had just bought all the groceries and supplies at Walmart for the week. Can you imagine going to bed with your spouse and they don't wake up? Jason was so upset when I was talking to him. I felt so bad for him. He just kept saying he lost his rock.

I guess I'll be busy attending funerals this weekend. I know life is short and it's so fragile. You never know when you see someone if it'll be the last time. I want all of you to know how much I love you and how very special and important you are to me. These two families will be in my thoughts and prayers. I pray our Heavenly Father will bless them with comfort,peace and the strength they will need to go on.




This picture made me smile today. It's Fall and the leaves are turning and I know it's going to be awhile before I see pretty flowers like these. So I thought I would share them. It makes me think in dark times Our Father in Heaven is there. He wants us to feel his love. There is still beauty around us if we just take the time to look around.

Tuesday's Update

I worked yesterday and and am still pretty under the weather. I went to bed exhausted and woke up in the night with a horrible migraine. I spent most of the night in the bathroom Nassau's and pretty much my head in the toilet. I had a to do list a mile long for today and got most of it accomplished even though I'm so tired I'm ready to crawl in bed and it's not even 5:30 p.m.

I ran errands, took Miss Marli to dance, took Jake to get a haircut, took the kids to Mrs. Powell's for a yummy bowl of soup, roll and a cinnamon roll for later. Jake was so cute when we walked in Mrs. Powell's I was telling him all they had, he walked up to this huge cinnamon roll and pointed at it...."That's what I want"! We came home and Ryan saw the cinnamon roll and was pretty much as excited as Jake. After lunch they shared it. Pretty cute.

Jakey before haircut




Jakey after haircut



Miss marli being her cute little self




I don't know if you can really tell,but if you look closely at Miss Marli's cheek there's a bruise. The kids have been playing this game they made up. They take racket's and hit balloons(from Jake's birthday).They laugh so hard and have been having the best time. Well they were playing in the basement and Marli got really excited and fell off the couch into the coffee table and landed on her cheek. Pretty rough.


In case anyone is wondering if we're closer to a name for our son that should be here in the next few weeks. The answer is NO! Tonight Ryan asked me what I thought of the name Butch. I just looked at him like he's lost his mind. I said that's a dog's name. He's like no it's not, I really like it. Are you flippin serious? What is he thinking?

OK so I needed to make birthday cards for the ladies in my ward and some more baby cards. I made 12 birthday cards for the ladies who have October b-days and 10 baby cards. Here are a few that I made today.





I'm glad I'm caught up on cards for this month. Now I'm off to mend some of the boys jeans, and make dinner. We're having spaghetti Miss Marli's favorite. Then I'll sit down and watch Dancing with the stars. What a perfect ending to a Tuesday.

Fantastic Friday

Even though I feel horrible I have to say today has been a fantastic day. I finally completed Jaxon's Tribute book that I started working on last October. I just got off the phone with Andrea (a wonderful lady )who helped make this project possible. We got the book completed and sent off for publishing. Words can not even begin to describe how incredible I feel to have completed this.It definitely is one of the hardest things I have ever done. Also the most rewarding.Granma Lyn was so nice to be my editor on this project. I really appreciate all she did to help me get this accomplished. Thanks Lyn, I love you so much!


After dropping the kids off at pre-school today I went in to work until it was time to pick them up. I normally don't work on Friday's, but have been sick all week and thought I could suck it up and go in for a couple hours. The kids were so excited when I picked them up. Apparently it was Kaden's (Jake's B/F) birthday. They had a party and cookies. The kids and I ran errands and then went to the car wash. My poor car was so dirty from the rainstorm we had a few days ago. Usually one of them cries when we go threw the car wash. Not today they had me laughing so hard. They were pretending our car was under attack and were laughing and yelling at the scrubber things that clean your car. It was quite entertaining. Then we went to Hastings and rented some movies. We are planning on taking it easy this weekend.

Tuesday Ryan started a new job. He is now working four by fours. Which means four night shifts,four days off,then four day shifts followed by four days off. Tonight is his last night working. He'll be home at 8:30 a.m and start his four days off. It's kind of crazy that the hours he works are the same as my dad. They are both shift workers, they work long days and look forward to their four days off.

Thank goodness it's Friday. What a week. Glad it's over. Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!

All I have To Say Is.....

Are you kidding me? As if I don't feel horrible enough I now have strep throat and a double ear infection to boot. I am so ready to throw in the towel. Someone please knock me out and wake me up in five weeks when this is over. Seriously!

Monday Jake wasn't feeling so good,but said he wanted to go to school. By afternoon time he was pretty miserable. Ryan took him to the doctor and he has a double ear infection. The doctor told Ryan, Jake has a huge tolerance for pain because his left ear was so bad it was bulging and ready to burst. Jake is my kid that never gets sick. He won't tell us if he's ever uncomfortable. He say's he doesn't want to bother us. They gave him some super ear drops that seem to really help. The antibiotic he only has to take once a day. I let him sleep with me Monday night. I was crying Monday as I watched my little boy so sick try to be brave. (Of all days for him to be sick the 24th)
I took a whole thing of emergenC and airbourne and still got sick. Dang it! Seems like every year when school starts I get strep. So not fair.

Jaxon Is My Hero

Today is a brutally difficult day for me. As Jaxon's mother it is especially hard to be without him. I know he wants us to be happy and he is doing all he can to see that we are. I know that as I'm preparing for our new little guy to arrive Jaxon had something to do with getting his "Helper" here. I'm grateful that I have the knowledge that Jaxon is ok he made it and he's waiting for us. Now Grandpa Mel is with my sweet boy and I can only imagine the two of them running wild in the fields of Heaven. Neither of their bodies are tired or sick. Makes me smile really big. I love this picture of Grandma Phyllis and Grandpa Mel with baby Jax. Right after he was born they came up to our house in Shelley. Jaxon was the first Smith grandson.




I'd like to share something my wise brother Kyle shared with me last November. I wasn't able to reach him today to get his permission,but I think he won't mind.


"I have been thinking all morning about your email. We may wonder why we go through such trials and tribulations. We may want to question why a God of love lets horrible things happen, especially to His followers. Think of what happened to Abinadi at the stake or to Joseph Smith (Read Doctrine and Covenants 122 for a humbling account). In fact human history and the scriptures are filled with accounts of the suffering of the righteous. Why does this happen. And why me? Why us? I wish that I had the answer. All I know is that God does love us. He knows us better than we know ourselves. He knows what we need and what we can endure. Just as the Apostle Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 10:13 that we will not be tempted beyond that which we can bear, He also will not put us through trials above that which we can bear. His desire is for us to become like Him, to return to Him in all of His glory. And we have to humble ourselves and realize that we do not know what we need at certain times. We have to have faith that there is something beyond the pain and suffering. We have to have faith that He is preparing for us for what is to come, for something far better than we can imagine. We have to remember "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts" (Isaiah 55:8-9). "

Peter 1:7. "That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ."

When I need spiritual uplifting I always go to my brother Kyle. He knows exactly what I need to hear. I'm so grateful to have him, to lean on him and to be able to benefit from his determination to always be a faithful servant of the Lord.

I would just like to let my beautiful son Jaxon know how much I love him and long to be reunited with him. I will try to do my best while I am finishing what the Lord wants me to do with my time on earth. I miss you son and am so proud to be your mom. I love you best friend, you are my hero.

Ninja Turtle Rafael

Jake was cracking us up.I had to get a video of him being so crazy. He was so into being a Ninja, Ryan and I were dying of laughter.

Ninga Turtle Jake

Jake wants to be "Rafael" for Halloween. We found a costume at the mall for him.I wrapped it for his birthday and put it away. He opened it today and was so excited.






The boys were having fun being ninjas. Jake put his costume on and wore it for most of the day. I think I will definitely see him get our $ worth on that purchase.He kept saying thanks Mom I love this I love it! What a awesome weekend we had. It was so fun spending time with our families. Good times!

Potato Sack

I was cooking lunch and Jake comes hopping into the kitchen. He had Marli's pillowcase and said "Look Mom it's like a potato sack". I thought it was funny. Marli however wasn't happy that her brother was using her favorite pillowcase as a potato sack.

Friday night Koby and Jake were playing video games in Jake's room. They needed help with one of the games. They asked me to help them. I didn't know how to play it. Koby was so cute he went out in the garage and said " Hey Uncle Ryan we need your help"! Ryan came in and played with the boys for over a hour. I wish I would have recorded the laughter that was coming from Jake's room. The three boys were having so much fun.






Aunt Kimmi asked Marli to sleep over at her house with Kamri. Marli was so excited she has never slept over anywhere except her grandparents house. Marli loves Kamri very much. She keeps telling eveyone for her birthday she wants a rainbow cake and Kamri to sleep over. When everyone started showing up for Jake's party, Kamri and Marli went down in Marli's room. We never saw them again. They were playing so cute in her room. When it was time to go she was walking on air. Thank you Aunt Kimmi for making Marli the happiest girl in the universe. (I didn't get any pictures of the two girls together.)


You can see how happy Marli is here sitting by Kamri. I love this picture of all the cute little funny faces.



Ryan got up early and left to go up to Kelly canyon to ride dirt bikes. When the boys got up it was really early and told me they were starving. We were driving and noone was up yet and I told the boys we were up before anyone. They thought that was so neat. On the way to breakfast the boys had clipboards with pens and paper. They said they were buisness men they needed to get all their work done. It was so cute.


Papa Bill and grandma Bette invited us to breakfast. Koby, Jake and I met them at Perkins. I think the best part was watching Koby eat pancakes. He gobbled up two big pancakes and said they were so good, he wanted to come back tommorrow for more.