Eagle Mountain Smiths

It's Been Awhile

2010-09-07T13:44:00.000-07:00

This is what Mia picked out to wear that day! She has on 5 shirts, 2 nightgowns, a baby hat, and Ethan's socks and cleats!

Harry on his first day of Kindergarten.

Maddie starting 4th grade

Nate's last year of elementary school--6th grade.

Ethan is in high school!

I'm going to blame a busy Spring...and Summer, for not posting in so long. March was the start of soccer season, but since soccer is year round in this house, that probably won't work as an excuse either. Scott and I had a great anniversary weekend in Moab in March, and we took some wonderful vacations this summer. I feel like I just blink and 6 months have passed! We got to see everyone in our families, which means it was a very successful summer. The kids are back in school. Ethan started high school this year, Nate is in 6th grade, Maddie in 4th, Harrison started kindergarten and Mia is home with me. They're all enjoying their teachers and friends.

Mia's Egyptian Dress

2010-03-25T12:40:00.000-07:00

When Kristin and Katherine went to Egypt, they bought Mia this gorgeous dress. Maddie also likes to wear it as a shirt!

Mia didn't want me to take her picture. She wanted the camera and wanted to take all the pictures, so she wouldn't cooperate and give me a smile. I still love this picture of her though. She is a very funny little girl.

Mia still doesn't want her picture taken, so she went to hide.

Merry Christmas

2009-12-15T10:21:00.000-08:00

2009 was a year filled with both joy and sorrow for our family. We are still grieving the passing of our beloved brother-in-law, Aaron Lee. His death left a hole in our family and we will always miss him! We find joy in our children and in the gospel of Jesus Christ, which provides the promise of eternal families. We stayed pretty close to home this year with trips to Idaho/Bear Lake and a weekend in Park City. Maybe next year we will venture a little farther!
I marvel at our children’s distinct personalities. Scott and I love to watch them doing the things they love to do. They are great kids. We love living in Eagle Mountain. The kids just thrive in this neighborhood and have wonderful friends. It's also nice to have so much family nearby!
Scott: Scott is still a Development Manager for Symantec in Lindon. He enjoys his work, but still finds lots of time to play. He just started teaching Ethan’s Sunday School Class and does a great job! He plays volleyball with friends on his lunch break once a week, and works out with another friend at the Legacy Center once a week.
Keri: I have started a Zumba class, which I love! It’s great to have an indoor exercise class when it’s too cold to bike. Katherine also got me started on Spinning classes, which are so much fun! I keep busy running the kids around to their activities, my church calling and volunteering at the school. We always have a house full of kids—our own and all their friends, so life is fun.
Ethan (13): Ethan had many fun opportunities this year. In June, he went to the BYU soccer camp with many of his teammates. A few days after he got home from that, he was able to fly by himself to North Carolina to visit his cousin, Jace. He stayed with Richard and Alana’s family for 2 weeks and went to the beach with them for a few days. He had 2 soccer tournaments in July, so before he knew it, summer was over. Ethan is in the 8th grade this year and doing great. He has taken over responsibility for taking care of the dogs in the morning. He is always willing to babysit his siblings when needed. He is turning into a wonderful young man!
Nathaniel (10): Nate started competitive soccer this year, so he practiced in the summer (sometimes at 7:00 AM!) He loves to play soccer and has really improved. He has to keep up with his older brother. He stopped taking gymnastics this fall because of conflict with soccer, but I take him to an open gym twice a month to make up for it. He is in 5th grade this year and has many, many of his best friends in his class. I feel bad for his teacher! He loves Science and hates writing of any kind. Nate is so compassionate and is a great example to me.
Madeleine (9): Sadly, Maddie’s hula teacher decided to only teach in the summers, so Maddie is without a dance class right now. She was able to do soccer this fall, and she still takes piano. It gives her a lot more friend time, which she loves! Maddie was able to spend time in Idaho with Grandpa and Grandma Yeoman this summer all by herself. Grandma taught her all the things that Mom can’t: ironing, knitting and sewing. Maddie is in 3rd grade and her teacher just loves her. She has been teaching herself cursive for years, so she is glad to finally be able to learn it in school. Maddie is such a sweetheart, always willing to help with Mia and Harrison. She has a special bond with her younger siblings.
Harrison (4): Harry is in his last year of preschool with “Teacher Karen,” whom he loves, even when he doesn’t get to pick out a prize from the treasure bucket. He continues to be very expressive and lets you know when he is not happy about something…all with facial expressions. It’s very offensive to him to be called “funny,” and hates to be laughed at. He started the year sleeping in the boys’ room, but is now back with Maddie, who was his roommate before Mia was born. He’s just the sweetest little guy.
Amelia (19 months): Mia is definitely in my least favorite stage right now—getting into things, climbing on everything, etc, but she is so darn cute, I just love her to pieces. I was scolding her for something in a very stern voice shaking my finger at her; she listened calmly and when I was finished, gave me a big hug. I just had to laugh. She’s a sweet girl, but being toughened up by her big brother. She can definitely hold her own!

Halloween

2009-11-12T08:56:00.000-08:00

The kids were again overloaded with candy this year after Scott's company party and trick-or-treating. Ethan didn't go trick-or-treating this year--he has aged out of that. He was just wearing his soccer uniform with his soccer team that day after finishing their fall season. Nate decided to be a soccer player this year which meant I didn't have to buy him a costume! It was fun to have Katherine and the boys join us! We had beautiful weather--Maddie was in her short-sleeved dress with no coat!

Uhura and Spock

Cousins ready for trick-or-treating

Harrison as Spock

Mia the lemur

At Symantec

Scarecrow Festival

2009-11-10T14:09:00.000-08:00

We met the Fords at Thanksgiving Point in Lehi for the Scarecrow Festival, which is always so much fun. The kids have a great time and everyone is worn out at the end!

Mia wearing her balloon hat

Smiths and Fords on the train

Smith Family Home Evening In Lehi

2009-11-10T14:04:00.000-08:00

Green Girls

2009-09-03T16:27:00.000-07:00

I realized after putting out clothes for Maddie to wear and getting Mia dressed this morning, that they were matching and looked so cute together. So I took their picture :)

Ms. Wheelchair Utah Pageant

2009-09-03T16:02:00.000-07:00

After the pageant

Yeoman siblings

Kim--ready for the pageant

Crazy Horse monument

We tried to recreate the original visit to Mt. Rushmore when we were 12, 10, 8, and 6 and had really bad attitudes about it!

Last November, Kim won the Ms. Wheelchair Utah pageant, so she was able to travel to South Dakota and participate in the Ms. Wheelchair USA pageant in August. She was the 4th runner up and Miss Congeniality, so we were all very proud of her. She did a great job and represented Utah well (especially with polygamy hairdo they gave her--sorry Kim!) It was so fun to have all the Yeomans together for the event. We also did some sightseeing to Mt. Rushmore and Crazy Horse monuments. We had a great time (except for Dad who had a stomach bug.) It's nice to vacation without children sometimes!

First Day of School

2009-08-26T12:09:00.000-07:00

Nate--10--Fifth grade

Maddie--8--3rd grade

Ethan--13--8th grade

Park City

2009-08-26T10:31:00.000-07:00

Our hotel at Westgate Resort

Mia loves snow cones!

The boys loved the hot tub on our back porch

Maddie and Nate in the pool.

The alpine slide at Park City Mountain Resort.

Mia loved the carousel.

On the way to the alpine slide.

Ethan's soccer team

We had a great vacation in Park City again this year. We got to do some fun activities, and the hotel had a great pool and game room which kept Maddie, Nate, Ethan and Harrison occupied. Most of Ethan's soccer team stayed at the same hotel, so there were lots of friends to hang out with! We ran into our old friends Ryan and Sidney, so we were able to spend some time with them. Lots of fun!

Last Adventure

2009-08-26T10:25:00.001-07:00

Little paleontologists

Mia at the Children's gardens

Watching the monkeys

The Living Aquarium

We watched Dinosaurs 3D at the planetarium

Mia loved all the fish--she kept saying ooooh!

Discovery Gateway--the helicopter is a highlight for everyone!

Harrison's favorite part of Discovery Gateway

Climbing the rock wall at Discovery Gateway

We ended the summer with a bang with 3 days of exploring our own "backyard." On Thursday, we went to Discovery Gateway, the Clark Planetarium, lunch at the Lion House and finally the Living Aquarium. Friday, we spent the day at the Hogle Zoo, Thanksgiving Point Gardens and the Museum of Ancient Life. Saturday, we attended an RSL game at Rio Tinto Stadium. After all that, we were ready for school to start!

July 4th and 24th

2009-07-28T16:18:00.000-07:00

We got to spend a lot of time with family in July, and I can't believe the month is almost over! We traveled to Idaho to spend the 4th of July weekend with my family in Bear Lake. Although it was a little overcast at first, it ended up being a beautiful day. The kids had a blast on the paddle boat and Scott took each of them out on the jet ski. Scott pretty much spent 4 hours on the jet ski and had a great time. The kids turned the paddle boat into a party boat with chips, cookies and soda--what could be better than that?

We spent the 24th of July with the Wests and Michaelsons at Heather and Adam's house, where the kids swam, played with cousins and made s'mores. It's always a great time at the West's house!

Next up: Park City for Ethan's soccer tournament!

2009-07-28T16:17:00.000-07:00

2009-06-30T15:54:00.000-07:00

Harry's Birthday

2009-06-30T15:22:00.000-07:00

Harrison has probably been talking about his birthday for the last 6 months. He had to suffer through my birthday, then Nate's, Scott's, Mia's and Ethan's. He even refused to go to a friend's birthday party because he just couldn't take it anymore! Well, the big day finally arrived, and he was very excited. I made him his favorite breakfast (french toast) and he opened his presents. Then we went to Classic Skate where he scootered around, went in the Bounce Zone, played some games and had pizza for lunch. That evening, Summer and the kids came over to have some cousin time. Harrison was tired by the end of the day and fell asleep pretty easily. What a sweet boy he is--I just love him to pieces!

Jazz Recital

2009-06-30T15:13:00.000-07:00

Maddie did great in her dance recital--she was a toad. I love to watch Maddie dance, especially when she's bossing her friends around and teaching them new dances. A couple days ago, she was "teaching" her friend Makenna a dance to Thriller and I realized that she is me! I was just like that when I was little, and when she said to Makenna "why don't you just sit in the audience and watch me," I had to laugh. Kristin, I understand now why you never wanted to play with me!

Father's Day

2009-06-30T15:05:00.000-07:00

Everyone pitched in to make dinner for Scott--Spencer and Nate even peeled potatoes! Scott chose barbecued steak, mashed potatoes and gravy and rolls, with apple pie and ice cream for dessert. Unfortunately, Scott had to cook the steak himself since he didn't want it overcooked! Even better than the new car, Ethan got Scott the Wolverine bobble-head.

Happy Father's Day Scott!!

2009-05-28T12:27:00.001-07:00

Harrison's Preschool Graduation

2009-05-23T16:09:00.000-07:00

Harry looked adorable in his hat and gown as he sang songs and received his "diploma" from TLC Preschool. His favorite part of the evening, though, was the candy cannon afterward!

2nd Grade Dance

2009-05-23T16:06:00.000-07:00

All the 2nd grade classes at the school perform a dance from a different country. Maddie's class did the German clap dance. She looked so cute!

Pinewood Derby

2009-05-23T15:02:00.000-07:00

Nate took 3rd place in the Pinewood Derby. It was a very close race--there wasn't a lot of time between 1st, 2nd and 3rd. Nate was happy with the results, even though he won 1st place last year!

Ethan's last Spring soccer game

2009-05-23T14:16:00.000-07:00

Spring soccer is finally over! Ethan's team went undefeated this season and did a great job. The last game was May 15th up in Park City. Ethan's team won a close game 2-1. Go FC Blaze!

Mia's First Birthday!

2009-05-23T13:55:00.000-07:00

Mia is now a one-year-old! I can't believe it's been a year since she was born. She is still such a sweet little girl. She has a great appetite and can now drink from a sippy cup. I'm starting to wean her from nursing, although if she's anything like her big sister, I've got a ways to go! Mia is starting to walk--she takes steps here and there and can walk really well holding my hand. She loves to climb up the stairs (but not down!) We had a little party for her on her birthday and she got a new riding toy, a book and hand puppet(from Grandma and Grandpa Yeoman,) lots of clothes from us and Aunt Kim, and a cute Mexican dress from Aunt Kristin.

Real Salt Lake game

2009-05-23T13:47:00.000-07:00

Ethan, Nate and Scott went to a Real Salt Lake game with Ethan's soccer team and some of the other parents. They had a great time even though Real only tied with the LA Galaxy.

Mia's first haircut

2009-05-23T13:26:00.000-07:00

Mia was in desperate need of a haircut and, luckily for us, Grandma Smith was in town. So, Mia got her first haircut! She looked so cute afterward!

Smith Family Rock Band

2009-03-13T08:51:00.000-07:00

2009-03-04T09:48:00.000-08:00

SLC Children's Museum

2009-02-19T13:30:00.001-08:00

The kids got to spend time with cousins at the Children's Museum in Salt Lake City last Saturday, and everyone had a great time. Ethan complained about having to go to a museum for "6-year-olds," but he had fun with Andrew and Brigham. It's so nice the kids all have at least one cousin their age to hang out with on family outings.

2009-02-19T13:29:00.001-08:00

My Mia

2009-02-19T12:46:00.000-08:00

Mia is 9 months old, and continues to be a joy. Her firsts this month include, sadly, ear infections, but also cruising, clapping, first word ( mama) and ice cream (thanks to Harrison when Mom wasn't looking.) This is one loved baby girl!

Happy Birthday to Scott

2009-02-19T12:41:00.000-08:00

Scott bought himself an early birthday present--yet another remote control vehicle (for a total of 5 for Scott, Ethan and Nate.) This one is a monster truck and Scott had a great time building it. When I complained about the cost, he replied, "it's cheaper than therapy." I'm not so sure! The slide show is mainly for Stephen's benefit--you can see that Scott meticulously documented his progress.

2009-02-19T12:40:00.000-08:00

Nate's Birthday

2009-02-19T12:05:00.000-08:00

We rented a gym at the Legacy Center for Nate's 10th birthday party. He and his friends and siblings played soccer and basketball, ate pizza, cake and ice cream, and had a great time. The best part was no mess for me to clean up!

Happy Birthday to Me

2009-01-14T11:52:00.000-08:00

Scott bought me the best birthday present: a road bike! It's a big step for him, since he generally makes fun of road bikers. I'm so excited to start riding my bike when the 3 feet of snow finally melts.

A Mia update

2009-01-08T12:41:00.000-08:00

Mia is almost 8 months old! Last month was a big month for her--she learned to crawl and is now very proficient at it. She's starting to pull herself up on furniture. It makes me so sad to think of her growing up. It was so nice to set her on her blanket with her toys and have her stay there! Now she follows me around! She's still a good eater, although she has her likes and dislikes. Most fruits=good, sweet potatoes=good, green vegetables=BAD! Mia gets lots of attention from big brothers and sister and loves it!

2009-01-08T12:39:00.001-08:00

Merry Christmas!

2008-12-14T15:31:00.000-08:00

I decided instead of mailing a Christmas letter with each card, I would just post our letter on the blog. It’s been a wonderful year for us; we had several big family events including Amelia’s birth and blessing, Ethan being ordained a deacon in our church and Maddie’s baptism. We were able to see every member of our immediate family as well as many extended family members during family reunions and vacations. We had Munk, Higginson, and Yeoman family reunions in Idaho and we took family vacations to Moab, Park City, Idaho and Minnesota. That is probably the highlight of the year for our kids—they love spending time with their cousins!

Keri keeps busy taking care of her house, husband, 5 kids and 2 large dogs. Running, biking and swimming keep her (somewhat) sane. Scott is currently working as a Development Manager for Symantec and enjoys both the job and the people he works with. His job gives him plenty of flexibility to attend the kids’ many activities. Ethan (12) auditioned for the percussion class at the junior high and was selected, so he has been in a couple concerts with the school band and is eager to audition for the Jazz band next year. He is taking piano lessons and also participates in Boy Scouts. Ethan is still fully invested in soccer, which goes all year—regular season games in the Spring and Fall, 2 seasons of indoor soccer in the Winter, and practices, camps and tournaments in the Summer. Nate can’t understand why we’re hesitant to allow him to participate in competitive soccer! Nate (9) does more of a variety of things and always wants to try new ones. He has been taking gymnastics for a few years and loves it. He also plays soccer, takes piano lessons and attends Cub Scouts. This year he tried basketball, but didn’t enjoy it too much. He tried out for the school play and was cast as a dancer in A Christmas Carol; he looked so cute! He has also started taking an after-school Japanese class. Madeleine (8) just started piano lessons this year and still takes jazz and hula. It’s so fun to watch Maddie perform in her dance recitals, because you can tell she really loves to dance! Harrison (3) has been quite a challenge since he turned three, and we’re not sure if it’s the age or the birth of his baby sister. The fact that he is so cute is what is keeping him alive. Besides getting into trouble, he loves, cars, playing with his friends Brendan and Carson and watching his favorite movie (which changes every few weeks and is currently School of Rock.) Amelia (7 months) continues to be a joy in our family. Everyone comments on how happy she always is. She gets up on her hands and knees and rocks back and forth, so she’s gearing up to crawl, but I don’t encourage that! Our favorite move is her platform pose (see picture.) She’s just our sweet baby girl!

We have been greatly blessed this year. We have wonderful family and friends and we have the blessing of the gospel in our lives. The knowledge the gospel gives us brings such peace and joy to our family. May your Christmas also be filled with peace! Merry Christmas! We love and appreciate you all!

Mia's platform pose

2008-12-14T15:27:00.000-08:00

Mia is 7 months old and already doing yoga!

2008-12-14T15:26:00.000-08:00

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Maddie's Baptism

2008-12-14T14:44:00.000-08:00

Maddie was baptized on December 6, and it was such a special day. Grandma and Grandpa Yeoman drove down from Idaho and Kim drove up from Cedar City to attend her baptism, and Grandpa Yeoman performed the confirmation. The Michaelsons, Fords and Wests all attended the baptism. Maddie loved having so many cousins there, and we appreciate everyone's support!

2008-12-03T10:24:00.000-08:00

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Ear Piercing

2008-12-03T09:42:00.000-08:00

Last year, Maddie told me she wanted to get her ears pierced, so I told her it would be a shot in her ears. She then decided to wait "until I'm a little bigger." I thought I had dodged the bullet, but a few months ago, she told me was ready. Since my mom wouldn't let me get my ears pierced until I was 15, I thought 8 was a little young. She was pretty brave, only tearing up a little and jumping a foot out of her chair with each shot. She was so cute though, and the earrings Kim picked out are darling!

Maddie's birthday party

2008-12-03T09:22:00.000-08:00

We had 11 little girls (and Harrison) running around during Maddie's "Princess Party!" I won't be doing that again anytime soon--let's see I have 7 1/2 more years until Mia turns 8. I'll just hope for a tomboy! The girls had fun getting their hair, makeup and nails done (thanks Kim!) playing games, and eating chocolate fondue! Maddie was happy to have her friends and cousins there to celebrate her birthday.

Mia's 6 months old!

2008-11-17T11:59:00.000-08:00

Mia is 6 months old and changing so quickly! She pushes herself up on her hands and knees and rocks back and forth, so unfortunately she could be crawling soon! I'm not quite ready for that yet--it seems like she was just born! I just started her on solids and so far she is a great eater. She likes rice cereal and loves applesauce and bananas.

Halloween

2008-11-04T10:14:00.001-08:00

We now have a 3-year supply of candy! The kids had so much fun trick-or-treating at Symantec and then in our neighborhood. Grandma, Grandpa and Aunt Kim were here to join in!

Amelia's 5-month pictures

2008-10-23T11:14:00.000-07:00

Amelia is a little angel. I don't know what I would do without this sweet baby. Unfortunately, she has stopped sleeping through the night, but I'm hoping it will be a short phase. Everyone loves her to pieces!

2008-10-23T11:07:00.000-07:00

We had so much fun in Southern Utah with Kim. We hiked the Emerald Pools trail in Zion National Park. Everyone was vigilant about keeping Harrison from falling off a cliff! The weather was perfect while we were there, and we enjoyed our hike. On Saturday, we all went to the Wildlife museum, out to lunch, shopping at the outlet mall and to the Fiesta Fun Center for miniature golf in St. George. Ethan got 2 holes in one playing miniature golf--he was quite proud of himself! Scott and Ethan also went to a movie that night, while Kim and I watched a movie at her apartment and rested from our busy day. It was a great weekend and we look forward to going back in the Spring!

2008-10-23T10:07:00.000-07:00

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Maddie and Princess Mimi

2008-10-23T10:00:00.000-07:00

Maddie started calling Amelia "Princess Mimi" and it has stuck! Now we all call her Mimi along with Amelia and Mia (I hope she doesn't get confused!) Maddie loves having a sister!

Mia & Harry

2008-10-23T09:46:00.000-07:00

It's just Mia and Harry with me during the day with the other kids at school. Mia is getting big enough to play and interact with Harrison, but sometimes he annoys her (as you can see in the first picture!)

Amelia's 4 month pictures

2008-09-17T11:34:00.000-07:00

Amelia is definitely our biggest baby! She is still in the 97th percentile for height, but she dropped to the 65th percentile for weight. Smiling is her favorite pastime. What a sweet girl!

Hula

2008-09-15T15:46:00.000-07:00

We all enjoyed Maddie's hula recital Saturday evening. She looked so cute in her costumes!

Another year of school

2008-08-18T14:29:00.000-07:00

School has begun once again (it seems like it starts earlier every year!) Ethan had his open house Thursday evening and started on Friday. The seventh graders had one day by themselves and then they got Monday (today) off. The 7th, 8th and 9th graders all go together tomorrow. Maddie and Nate met their teachers at the open house on Friday and started today. So, it didn't really feel like a school day since Ethan had three friends over all day playing Xbox. Tomorrow will be MUCH quieter!

Amelia's 3 months old!

2008-08-18T14:16:00.000-07:00

It seems like just yesterday that I posted Amelia's 2-month pictures! Amelia is becoming a wiggle worm; always trying to move--she is rolling over now from her back to her stomach but then gets angry if you leave her on her tummy too long. I commented to Scott the other day how cute Amelia is and his reply was "you're welcome."

Minnesota Vacation

2008-08-18T14:05:00.000-07:00

gas: $525
lodging: $250
souvenirs: $125
44 hours driving with 5 children: priceless!

We got to visit with all the Minnesota Smiths on this trip. The kids spent time with their cousins at Grandma and Grandpa's house, the lake, the Minnesota Zoo and the Minnesota Science Museum. Grandma Smith made Maddie a new quilt while we were there to replace her old one which has been well-loved (and it shows!) On the way home, we drove through South Dakota and visited Mount Rushmore, which is always fun. Harrison learned all the presidents names from his older siblings and had a particular way of saying them--Roosebelt, Jefferson, Washington, and Winkin. We enjoyed our time together as a family.

2008-08-18T14:04:00.001-07:00

Park City Soccer Tournament

2008-08-18T12:00:00.000-07:00

Ethan participated in the Park City Extreme Cup with his soccer team. Since it was a 3-day event, we stayed in Park City at The Canyons resort July 31-August 2. The hotel was beautiful and we had a 2 bedroom suite, so it had plenty of space for us. The kids swam in the pool for hours and did the alpine slide, which they all loved! Ethan and Scott went to see a movie (The Mummy) in between games. Ethan had one game Thursday and 2 games Friday. Since they won all three, they made it to the semi-finals, which they won in penalty kicks. The final game was a tough one for the team, but they won (also in penalty kicks.) It was a great weekend! I missed the final game because I had to get home and get repacked for our trip to Minnesota!

Idaho Vacation

2008-08-18T11:50:00.000-07:00

We had 3 reunions in Idaho between July12 and July 20! The slide show is from that week. The main activity was Bear Lake, which was a blast. Scott drove the boat for 4 straight hours, and the kids all took turns on the banana and the paddle boat. Scott only dumped a few people into the lake. Scott and Grandpa took the kids to the Minnetonka caves one day and we had a picnic. The Munk and Higginson reunions were mainly at parks. Maddie did a hula dance at the Munk talent show--she did a great job. We didn't really know anyone at the Higginson reunion, which is usually the case.

2008-08-18T11:48:00.000-07:00

Amelia's 2 months old

2008-07-14T14:30:00.000-07:00

Time is flying by--Amelia's 2 months old already! She is just the sweetest little baby--so smiley all the time! Maddie loves to carry her around and read her stories--her very own doll! What a cutie.

Thanksgiving Point Gardens

2008-07-14T14:12:00.000-07:00

Katherine and I decided to brave the heat and take the kids to the gardens at Thanksgiving Point. After getting lost in the main gardens trying to find a way into the children's gardens (there ended up not being a way!) we finally made it. The kids had a blast in the water and Amelia enjoyed being outside in the fresh air.

Kangaroo Zoo

2008-07-14T13:58:00.000-07:00

Katherine and I took the kids to the Kangaroo Zoo in Pleasant Grove so we could relax and visit while the kids ran wild. They wore themselves out in a few hours!

Amelia's Blessing

2008-07-14T13:50:00.000-07:00

Scott blessed Amelia at the church on July 6th. She looked beautiful in the Smith family blessing gown (thank you Grandma and Grandpa Smith!) It was a wonderful day to share with family!

Picnic

2008-07-14T13:32:00.000-07:00

All the Yeomans (minus Richard, Alana and their kids) were in Utah for the 4th of July weekend. It was so much fun to have everyone here--we had a lot of catching up to do with Katherine and Aaron whom we haven't seen since last July and with Kristin whom we haven't seen since Ocotober. We had a picnic at the Discovery Park in Pleasant Grove on July 5th. The kids had a lot of fun.

Harrison's birthday

2008-07-14T13:14:00.000-07:00

Harrison is 3!! Kim and Grandpa and Grandma Yeoman were in town for Maddie's recital and birthdays. Kim's birthday is one day before Harrison's, so we went out to Carino's to celebrate. Harrison was very excited about all his presents. He got pajamas, 2 soccer balls, bubbles, sidewalk chalk, sand toys, a book and an easel.

Maddie's Jazz Recital

2008-07-14T13:07:00.000-07:00

Maddie performed in a recital with Southwest Ballet Company on June 26th. She did a great job and looked so cute in her costume! Maddie loves to dance--I think it's something she'll stick with!

Court of Honor

2008-07-14T13:03:00.000-07:00

Ethan received his First Class Scout award at the last Court of Honor. He's just starting to work on merit badges and he is going to Scout camp this week. He enjoys Scouts for the most part (but not nearly as much as soccer!)

Amelia's 1 month pictures

2008-07-14T12:49:00.000-07:00

Amelia is a little angel! She's a great little eater and sleeps well at night. We are all really enjoying her.

Amelia's 2 weeks old!

2008-05-26T21:04:00.000-07:00

Amelia is 2 weeks old and isn't looking quite so wrinkly. She's a mellow baby and a very good eater--I didn't have to deal with engorgement at all when my milk came in. She doesn't like to sleep in her bassinet at night, so she sleeps with me.

Ethan's birthday

2008-05-26T20:44:00.000-07:00

Two days after Amelia joined our family, Ethan turned 12! We had a family party for him on his birthday, and he's been waiting patiently for his birthday parties (yes, he's having 2) with his friends. He is having a sleepover with one group of friends and is going to play paintball with another group. He was ordained a deacon on May 18th, so he was able to pass the sacrament last Sunday. He looks so cute in his suit!

Amelia Katherine

2008-05-26T19:58:00.001-07:00

Amelia Katherine arrived on May 10th at 1:01 AM after about 5 hours of labor. She was an even 8 pounds (our biggest baby!) and 19 inches long. She has lots of dark brown hair, which the nurses spiked up and affixed bows, prompting Ethan's question "what's with the fauxhawk?" She is beautiful! We're all glad she's here.

Easter

2008-03-25T08:56:00.000-07:00

We had a wonderful Easter weekend--the weather was beautiful on Sunday, but a little chilly on Saturday. Our ward had a pancake breakfast and Easter egg hunt Saturday morning, after which we took our dogs to race them in the field near our house. Scott was so sure that Maybelle was faster than Gracie (Gracie beat her by two full lengths!) Ethan then had a soccer game in Orem (they tied 2-2.) We got together with Heather, Shaleen, and Summer at Heather's house for dinner and another Easter egg hunt. The cousins always love their time together! Ethan was upset that we were not getting together with cousins the following day too! I was happy to relax and enjoy a peaceful Easter Sunday at home.

Legos

2008-02-05T09:40:00.000-08:00

Ethan and Nate have been obsessed with Legos lately. They got three Lego ships for Christmas, and they have been bidding on ebay for Lego minifigures and ships for the past month. They took these pictures of their Lego ships and wanted me to put them on the blog, so here they are.

Nate's birthday

2008-02-05T09:26:00.000-08:00

Nate turned 9 on January 20th, and he had not one, but two parties to celebrate. We had a family party on his actual birthday, because a birthday is just not a birthday without cousins! The older Ford kids were out of town, unfortunately, but everyone else was able to come over for dinner, cake and ice cream. The following Friday, he had a sleepover party with four of his friends. They had fun making their own pizzas, playing games and watching movies. Scott is definitely in charge of sleepovers since he is the only one who can stay up as late as the kids! I love the pictures of Nate opening his presents from our family--He smiled at the first package of socks, but wasn't too excited about the second package. Luckily, the remote control car made up for it!

Christmas

2008-01-03T09:04:00.000-08:00

Scott and the kids started their Christmas vacation on the 21st of December. Scott went back to work yesterday, and the kids went back to school today. Kim stayed with us that whole time also, so it was fun to have her here. Kim, Maddie and I went to see Enchanted and out to eat, and Scott took the boys to see National Treasure. We went ice skating at 7 Peaks Arena, which is one of the kids' favorite winter activities. We played a lot of board games (Scott got me the Settlers of Catan and Kim gave me Are you Smarter than a 5th Grader) watched all the movies we got for Christmas, played Rock Band, watched some bowl games and ate a lot of yummy food. A great Christmas! The kids were happy with their presents. The boys got many building toys--several Lego sets, model airplanes and a remote control car. Scott spent much of his vacation building that car! It looks great. Maddie loves her new princess tent, which she plays in every day with all her friends, and her sewing machine from Grandma and Grandpa Yeoman. Harrison's favorite toys were his train table and all the trucks and cars! He also loves his soccer uniform--he's ready to play for Manchester United!

Christmas Eve, Part II

2008-01-03T08:45:00.000-08:00

For Ethan and Nate, opening presents on Christmas Eve is not overly exciting because pajamas are not their favorite gifts, but they're good sports about it. This year Scott and I also let them open a movie (Stardust) which they got to watch later on. You can see from the pictures, though, that Harrison is excited about pajamas--even his cousin's pair! Scott is also very excited--I must have picked out a good pair of pajamas for him this year.

Christmas Eve

2008-01-03T08:31:00.000-08:00

We were happy to have the Michaelsons over for Christmas Eve dinner and program. Acting out the Christmas story proved to be a little chaotic (luckily Maddie didn't have any competition for the role of Mary.) But we had a lot of fun. Our kids always love having their cousins over to visit!

Piano recital

2007-12-14T18:35:00.000-08:00

Ethan and Nate performed in a piano recital on Tuesday, and both did a great job. Nate played Silent Night, We Wish You a Merry Christmas, and Good King Wenceslas (a duet with me.) Ethan played Pat-a Pan (a duet with me) and O Christmas Tree. They were so cute. Ethan was really nervous beforehand, but he did better under pressure than Scott or I did in our recitals when we were younger. Luckily, I didn't make any mistakes either (unlike my last unfortunate performance when I was 14.) The picture is of the boys with their piano teacher, Christine Curtis.

Gifts from Grandma & Grandpa Smith

2007-12-11T16:44:00.000-08:00

The kids were excited about the pillow cases they received from Grandma and Grandpa Smith. As you can see in the picture, Scott was a little confused about our gift, but we finally figured it out :) The tree skirt looks beautiful, and we enjoyed listening to the cd (especially the last song.) We will begin the book tonight. Thank you Grandma and Grandpa Smith!

Gingerbread houses

2007-12-11T15:07:00.000-08:00

It's that time of year again--the making of the gingerbread houses. It took Kim and I about 3 hours to make the houses and another hour to build them (we split that between 2 days.) It's a tradition that my family has had since we lived in Japan, and my dad (yes, my dad, since my mom was visiting relatives in the US) learned how to make them at Homemaking meeting in Relief Society. Apparently, his house was so good that the women were quite mad at him. Even now, his gingerbread villages (he can't do just one house) are amazing. The kids each invited a friend or two over, and they decorated their houses with candy. It's a lot of fun, and they eat as much candy as they put on the houses. Harrison decorated a gingerbread man; he really worked hard on it.

Pregnancy

2007-12-11T14:50:00.000-08:00

I'm almost halfway through my pregnancy and feeling much better. I can finally eat chocolate again! Well, maybe that's not such a great thing. I have my ultrasound scheduled for December 26, and we'll find out if Madeleine will finally have a sister. The boys are definitely hoping for another boy, so either way, somebody will be happy. I think Maddie enjoys being the only girl, but a sister would be good for her, especially when she gets older. My sisters are my best friends.

Maddie's birthday

2007-12-07T18:48:00.000-08:00

I can't believe Maddie is 7! It's amazing how time flies by. We celebrated her birthday while Grandma and Grandpa Yeoman and Kim were in town for Thanksgiving. Grandma, Kim and I took her to Color Me Mine in Provo, where you can pick out pottery items and paint them. Then they fire them and the pieces look beautiful. Maddie picked out a coaster, Kim picked a bowl, Grandma picked a penguin (for Grandpa, of course) and I picked a vase. Maddie had so much fun painting her coaster. Then, we went out to lunch at Macaroni Grill and took her shopping. She picked out an outfit (from Grandma) and shoes (from Mom.) She got to open all her presents that evening. She got a cd player/ipod dock from Mom, a dress and coat from Dad, an Island Princess elephant from Nate, a movie from Harrison and shoes from Ethan. What else will she need for Christmas??

Festival of Trees

2007-12-01T09:23:00.000-08:00

Maddie was able to perform at the Festival of Trees in Sandy. The Festival of Trees is a big fundraiser for Primary Children's Medical Center. Maddie's dance school, Southwest Ballet Academy, performs at it every year. Maddie danced to "Baby it's Cold Outside." As I searched itunes for the right version of the song to download, so Maddie could practice at home, I thought, what version would her teacher pick? (She's a 20-year-old BYU student.) I finally found it...a duet by Jessica Simpson and Nick Lachey.

Halloween

2007-12-01T08:31:00.000-08:00

Symantec hosted another trick-or-treat this year, and the kids always get a ton of candy because they just go up and down rows and rows of cubicles. One hour later their buckets are filled. Harrison did not want to wear his costume, so he cried until I gave him his treat bucket. He realized he was going to get candy, and that made him happy. After the trick-or-treating at Symantec, the kids went around our neighborhood..and filled up their buckets again. Harrison refused to put on his costume at home, so Scott and I stayed home with him, which was fine with me!