MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!!

Today is almost over but I want to at least post a few words about our Christmas this year. It has been a wonderful day, proceeded by our Christmas Eve Party yesterday. Whats really special for me this year is that my Dad is here to spend the holidays with us. We have all our children here and a new grandson to share this special season with. Jamie is engaged to great young man whose name is Ryan and he will be joining here later in the week. This month has really gone by so fast. First I had Desert Club duties to do as I was the Grounds Chairman this year. Then afte that I had my Quilt group day which is one of my favorite days to go to! Then after that i promply got sick for about a week and then I have been trying to get all the bridesmaid outfits pulled together. Then the other day I realized it was Dec 23 and hadn't started on my Christmas shopping or figuring out what I was making for Christmas dinner. Thankfully, my older girls had it under control and reminded me of what I was suppose to make. Still my thoughts were all over the place, trying to get into the spirit of the Holiday. One day I was up and the next feeling sorry for myself and being stressed about life in general. Because we all know life doesn't stop just because its Christmas! I saddens me to hear my kids fight argue with each other or they don't realize how selfish they can be sometimes. Then there are moments when I look at a daughter and see the beauty that she turned out to be or the mother that they are, each one doing the best they can be and I am so proud one moment and the next want to get after them for some dumb thing the next moment. I realize I am talking like a basket case, but oh well... I just finished watching "The Nativity" and it was wonderful to watch Mary give birth to baby Jesus and then to feel what she was probably feeling holding her newborn in her arms, loving every inch of her child, knowing that this was the Son of God. She had the pleasure of kissing him and looking into those little eyes that will love her and call her Mother. Yes, Mary was very blessed. I too have been blessed. With the birth of each of daughters, holding them and loving everying inch of them. I am grateful for my husband whose was there every minute of it. Grateful for my children and now, my grandchildren. Grateful that my Dad was with me this Christmas holiday. And grateful for our Savior and celebrating his birth as a family. Grateful we are an eternal family! I love my family....till next year, MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!

Taylor turned 19 on Nov. 19TH !

Wow, just realized that Taylor's birthdate and this year match! Anyways I forgot to post on her Blog Date but wanted to add a few lines. Taylor graduated in the spring of this year and then moved up to Rexburg, ID to go to BYU-I . This is her first time being away from us for a long period of time. Did it affect me? more than I thought it would. First, I lost my driver. I loved having an extra driver in the house. (I wonder if I can get a job doing that.) Second, its just plain unnatural that we are losing are children. Soon its going to be just Jessie in the house. She'll have to sleep with both dogs!. Anyways, Tate came home for Thanksgiving holiday and our dog Diego was so HAPPY! He's her little Princess!! (I know, kids say the darnest things!) Dad and I love you Taylor, the thing I remember about you when you were born, was seeing this cute little baby with the blondest of hair and BROWN eyes!! You've had a smile on your face for everyone and our little family was blessed even more. Your sisters loved you and watched over you as you were growing up. Now here you are, all grown up and taking their clothes (did I say that? I meant borrow...) Its a tradition, handed down from oldest sister to the next...we have cleptomanics in our family. Just kidding, no really! Anyways, heres a few pictures to show off my little darling! Love you Taylor Rachel Smith, tu mom :)

Hi Jessie, today is your BIRTHDAY!!

This here is my youngest daughter, hija, one of my six loves of my life!! My heart is full and its hard to express the joy that you and your sisters have brought into my life. I know your biggest wish today was to get your driver's license and we will, soon, really! Soon as I get the guts to take you on the freeway and teach you to paralle park ( sorry can't spell tonight) Love you Jessica Rae (Rabbit) Smith!!

Alivia's Thanksgiving program

The school made the Thanksgiving sign for the backdrop.

Shawneen, Jessie and I went to Alivia's little program at Highland Elementary school the other night and it was so cute! My camera wasn't the best and the lights were awful to take a picture in but anyways, I tried. What it brought to mind is all the little events I have gone to for my own kids at Highland. It has been a wonderful school for my children and now its on to the next generation! Amazing how time flys when your having fun!! Thank you Alivia for your performance with your class. Nana loves you! :)

Jamies Fiance!

I thought I'd post a picture of Ryan and Jamie. These aren't the best but it will have to do for now.

Jamies Engaged!

Just wanted to announce to the world that my Jamie is engaged to Ryan Christensen! He is the best thing for her and we all love him dearly. What a great addition he will be to our family!! Now on to the preparations. Yippee!!

My Halloween Decor for 2011

Susan E. Halloween Decorations

My Christmas quilt!

The other day I finally finished my quilt. I had started it a few years back and it wasn't that it was so hard that it took me so long...it was because I only worked on it one day, a month. But I really enjoyed putting it together that I am going to make another one, but maybe in brights this time. Don't hold your breath though!! :) The pattern is called #230 Tree's Up! Lights On!

To DAD

Hi, dad, just posting so that when you see it its because we talked! :) Anyways, there are lots of different things you can do with blogs so please go to the right and look at my friends or whatever and check out how they've created theirs. On the top right are a couple of "buttons" FOOD Storage Made Easy and My Giveaway. You click on those and those are businesses, you can see what they do and from them, they will have "buttons" you can click on and it will go to their blogs. Anyways all this takes time and I don't go to my blog as much as I do my FB. Love ya, tu Hija

Great Quote!

Found this quote at a model home. Really liked it!

Ethan's Quilt

Ethan's quilt! Thought I'd try to add this picture for my blog. I completed this a while back ut hadn't had it quilted. Then I got it done for Lauren but she still doesn't have it because I didn't get it binded in time for me or Dana when we went to see her. She gets to use it when they come for Thanksgiving!

Remodeled upstairs bathroom

A while back my husband Jim decided we needed to remodel our upstairs bathroom. It keep leaking down to the bathroom below it. So one day he started ripping things out and so it began! So heres a before and after picture:

Catchin' up!

I see that I haven't posted in a while so I thought I'd give it a try!! Its fall here in AZ. And where I live, you can't tell very well. So I am out adding a little bit of Halloween onto my porch and in my house. I love this holiday, as my kids can tell. :) My daughter Lauren and Phil had their first child- baby Ethan. What a beautiful gift from our Heavenly Father! I love my grandchildren, up to 9 now, with the 10th on its way next April from Shawneen.

School has started also. I have Jessie in 10th grade now. Just one school to carpool now. Its amazing how sad I was when I drove my daughter there the first day of school! My next daughter, Taylor, is at BYU-I now. Her freshmen year. She's staying at Royal Crest Apt and I hope she enjoys her time there. She's not a big caller on the phone to me. But thats okay if she's studying that is... Then there's Jamie who works with her dad up in Globe. She's met a new-someone and we are really liking this young man! Her eyes light up everytime she see's (and not the See's candy kinda look) him. So that's it so far I will come back to this to post some pictures later!!

A New Day!

I think I finally got rid of that pesky "photobucket" sign over all my stuff. Hope it stays gone, cuz now I can concentrated on trying to put things on here. I am in Humanitarian now and over some of the summer stuff for the youth to do every Thursday. So weekly, I have been putting together flip-flop pkgs and cutting out fleece to do fleece blankets and cutting out ball forms for the sisters to sew in the Wards, then get back to me so that the kids can stuff them. Then there's a sister that takes all this stuff to local charities and shelters that can use them. And I am also helping with 4th year girls camp. Jim and I were going to do the shooting for the girls but it got canceled do to the drought. So we are helping other ways, I am doing the cooking and Jim is helping with leather works and the repelling the girls are going to do. Plus we have to do a devotional one of the nights. So I have all this to think about! Yikes.....

Mia has learned to SWIM....

Just wanted to post that my granddaughter MIA has really started to swim this past week. Her progress is great!! It was just the other day she was screaming and crying about being in the water at ALL and we were so mean to drag out to the deep-end. But not anymore, she has turned into a real fish and loves to go into the water all by herself. I still try to watch her though and I don't want her jumping off my diving board but it won't be long now. I need to get a picture of this!!

Summers here!!

Just thought I'd try to post a Hello, since its been a while. I haven't posted because its so annoying to see a Photobucket stamp over my stuff and I don't know how to get rid of it. IF any one sees this and has a solution, please, leave a comment!! Thanks. Andie