Catch up??

My dear friend Heidi reminded me today that I haven't posted anything new for awhile.  So here is to a little catch up! 

The Smalley family daily routine...

jobs, fun

That is it.

For jobs we:
make bed, clean room, daily job (assigned by mom), practice piano, laundry (if needed), pet care, read 30 minutes, writing, weed 10 minutes, work on spiritual goal, physical goal and mental goal.

For fun we: 
go to the pool (Sarah can now do a front flip off the high dive, Emma has discovered the exciting world of underwater...it was really cute when she took off her life jacket and put on goggles and plunged under the water.  She came back up and was giggling.  "I can SEE underwater."  She hasn't looked back. She is now swimming short distances, diving for diving sticks -in 3 feet-front and back flips in the water.  She gets really excited when she discovers something new:)
go to 7 peaks, ride bikes, play at the park, go to the movies (free with our pass of all pass) we went to Tarzan, the musical at an outdoor theater, the gym (Aaron is seriously impressive seeing that he has not really been in a gym for almost 20 years *gasp* he still has a killer routine on the tumbling track)  I need to get that on camera tomorrow (also free with our pass, for the month of June), hum...playing with friends, fortunately they have to complete their jobs before they can play with friends or they would just play with friends all day long...

Aaron has been called to be a High Councilor in our Church.  He is loving it.  I am still the Young Women President and loving it! I work with amazing women AND having Sarah there is fun too.  Can you believe I am old enough to have an almost teenager!

I will post a few pictures from girls camp.  It was amazing.  hot, but amazing.

Oh and a few tidbits from the wee one...she really is becoming a little drama queen :)

We were playing Frisbee golf with Aaron the other day and the second hole was dry, dead and full of foxtails.  She got some in her socks so she sat down to pull them out and the discovered that she got them in her shorts too. She dramatically proclaimed, "This is the absolute WORST day of my life."  I had to chuckle because I think she meant it.  See Heidi there were more cute things that Emma said and I can't remember them because I am not that great at recording them :)

oh yes, and a little about David.  today my friend came over for lunch and brought plumbs.  David had two and wanted another...later I went to the store (because we had no fruit or veggies) and came home. David then ate two more plumbs, two peaches, strawberries, two bananas grandpa style (with peanut butter) and a nectarine.  Man, if he eats like this at 7 what is he going to eat like at 17!  Do you see why I don't have any fruit or veggies.

Goblin Valley

For spring break we went to Goblin Valley.  It was awesome.  We explored for three days straight.  It was a wee bit cold, and a wee bit rainy but mostly great weather.  The kids loved playing hide and seek among the goblins.

Happy Easter

Here are some photos of our fun dying party. 

Happiness :)

In the month of February I had the opportunity to ski with a great group of ladies for Ladies Day.  It was really refreshing and exhilarating skiing down the mountain.  It was fun to learn how to ski. I have tried numerous times to learn, but now I feel a lot more comfortable and confident in my ski boots. 

Any of you in the area, I will be doing it again next year.  Every Thursday in February :)

still a little sad

I am sorry my posts have been so down, but I feel this is a way I can express my sadness to those who love me.  Today  I have been having a hard time.  Whenever my parents have come to help me I have a little baby.  Today my belly and arms are empty.  Heavenly Father gave me four of my most precious gifts and now I really need to treasure them.  I can not say, what if, I have to move forward.  I know it will all work out, it is just a little sad.

Today while my family was at church I read this article.  What a beautiful point of view.  I haven't lost a child, just the opportunity to have more children.  I love that Heavenly Father knows me and will strengthen me through my trials (even if they seem small to others). 

a little more journaling

Yesterday finally came.  I had been battling with the insurance company until Tuesday morning about my surgery.  They didn't think it was medically necessary.  I told them that bleeding for 45 days is not medically necessary.  They relented.  Yesterday I had my hysterectomy.  The surgery went better then I expected, I have two little incisions on my side and one through my belly button.  What I wasn't prepared for was the CO2 gas that they pumped into my stomach to isolate the uterus.  It traveled and got lodged in my diaphragm and then went up my nerves to my shoulders.  This afternoon I really my dad said something funny and I started laughing and then all of a sudden I couldn't breathe.  I have never had an asthma attack, but I bet it feels similar.  I put a heat pack on and took an antacid hoping either would work. One or the other helped a lot.  I still have pain, but not nearly as much.

I cried with my mom today about never having kids again. It was a sad moment.  I love my family and my four children, but I always thought there was one more.  Who knows, one more just might come in an unexpected way :)

Thanks for all the love and support! 

Post Christmas, California wrap up

oh, Christmas was lovely.  I love having Aaron and the kids to hang out with!

Christmas eve,

We had a really quiet Christmas eve, not much fanfare.  We ate ham and potatoes by candle light.  Then sang all the Christmas hymns in the hymn book (we started out singing all the verses until we had a small revolt by David and Emma and switched to first verse only).  We then acted out the nativity,  Emma did NOT want to be Mary, but she wanted the baby.  After Luke 2 we got on our pajamas and read the grinch, (my sister Suzie always read us that on Christmas eve.) apparently I can read with my eyes closed :)

The kids slept until 7, I woke up a few times in the night excited for Christmas and literally dragged Aaron out of bed when I heard the kids stirring.

Let's see, Santa brought a cotton candy machine, by far the favorite gift!

Sarah got a desk and chair, paint by numbers picture.

Becca got curlformers, I will have to post a pic tomorrow with her curly hair.  We have done curls a few times and it looks great!

David got more trio blocks.  He loves building things.

Emma got blocks and a dream light.

As a family we got Wheel of Fortune wii, the Lorax and Brave (thanks to our neighbors the Perkins)

We ate hot shredded wheat and had eggnog.  The kids love both!  The shredded wheat tradition came from my great grandma's family, my grandma did it with her family, my mom with mine and now I do it with my family.

Then we spent the rest of the day vegging out.  Love it!

The next day Aaron went back to work and we got ready for our trip.

We went to Richfield that night where the next day Aaron had 6 surgeries.  While he was at the hospital we went swimming, had yummy hotel breakfast, McDonalds play place, and the library.  We were all ready to get going. It was snowing like crazy so it was an interesting drive to the 15, but we got there.

We stopped by Megan's house for dinner.  It was great for the kids to see their cousins.  They were sad we couldn't stay longer but it was on the road again for us!  We drove to Las Vegas and stayed the night. The next day we drove to riverside where we picked fruit at Grandma and Grandpa Smalley's house. They were not there and were terribly missed!  They are serving a mission in Georgia as the area medical advisers to 7 missions! 

We took a bucket for Shauna's family and a bag to great grandma and Aunt Janet.  Then we were off to Great Grandma's house.

She was in such good spirits, but is very forgetful.  When she opened the door she almost started crying because she didn't realize we were coming.  She couldn't believe we were there.  She is such a sweet wonderful woman!  We were so blessed to spend the evening with her!

That night we stayed at a local hotel and before skipping town we went to the beach (even though it was not a great day for the beach we still made the best of it!)

Can you tell how COLD it was!  Now if we would have gone the next weekend it was perfect weather, that's life!

Then we went to the Murdock's house where they were blessed with an adorable little girl!  I wish I would have taken a picture of the whole family, I just have one with the new baby :)

those cheeks were so kissable!  Aaron was in paint clothes because he was helping Daryl finish up the front room.  The next day was cute Amy's blessing day at church. It also happened to be my birthday!  Shauna and Daryl made a real effort to make my birthday special!  I am so glad Amy didn't notice that I kind of stole her day :)

The next day we shot guns, played with guinea pigs, went to the park and play an awesome game of kickball and street hockey.  That night was filled with pizza, soda, late night games and lots of laughs.  I loved every minute of it!  then it was home again!

We had to stop in Riverside to pick up the produce we had picked.  Fortunately it had it's own seat belt :)

It really has been hard waking up on time, wanting to go outside in the 10 degree weather, but we keep smiling and push though!

Surgery date: January 31st.