The Smiths

Ice Castles

2011-02-07T10:38:00.000-08:00

This past Saturday we drove up to Midway to see the ice castles. Justin's cousin Noelle and her darling family live there and blogged about how cool it was so we thought we'd go see for ourselves. It was pretty awesome and Beck seemed to like it. After touring the castles we explored Midway a little and went to visit the Olpins. They took us to dinner at a super yummy mexican restaurant right across the street from their house. We had so much fun catching up with them and watching Beck taste a lime for the first time. We couldn't stop laughing. On our way home we stopped by Jordan's going away party at Belmont but didn't stay long due to a very sleepy baby. I forget how late single people like to party! It was a fun day also including a morning run for me to babies r' us and Justin was able to go shooting with Jordan one last time before boot camp. Lucky for us, the weather was perfect for a fun day out and about! Saturdays are the best!

Driving into Midway we saw these four giant elk sitting in a field.

Needless to say, Justin thought it was the coolest thing.

Jordan

2011-02-07T09:45:00.000-08:00

We are so blessed to live in such a wonderful country. Even with the war in Iraq and many feeling there is no end in sight, there are still so many young people excited to serve. Justin's brother Jordan left last night night for boot camp in San Diego. We are so proud to have a future Marine in our family and pray for his safety and success. GOOD LUCK JORDAN!!!

"light" and food storage

2011-02-02T21:49:00.000-08:00

Little Beck is my world. Being a new mom and a stay at home mom is more than a blessing. Even on difficult days, like today, with teething and lack of sleep it is pure bliss because of all the little special moments. Todays special moment happened after nap time. I noticed a couple of days ago that when I get Beck out of his crib, the first thing he does is franticly look up and try to find the light fixture and stare at it until I flip it on. Then he usually smiles. It cracks me up. Today after finding it, still groggy from his nap and satisfied after turning on the light I sat in the glider and said the word "light". He looked up and stared. I did it again and again he looked. He knows the word "light" and I love it! What a wonderful word right?! Light. It seems like such a small thing but it seriously made my day.

4 new teeth coming in on top

On another less exciting note, last sunday we had a combined relief society/priesthood lesson on food storage and financial security. It hit me hard. I walked out to the car after class totally stressed out about how unprepared we are. A list of things we needed ate at my brain all day. A fire escape ladder (we live on the 3rd floor), food, water, first aid kit, 72 hour kits, copied personal documents... just to name a few. So I've decided to start with 72 hour kits and to start building my food storage supply by buying a few extra cans of food every time we get groceries. I went to the store this week and also pulled a few cans from my pantry and stored them in a separate place. If disaster strikes tomorrow we have about 12 cans of green beans and corn to live off! I went through our stuff and found some extra back packs to use for the 72 hour kits but thats as far as I've gotten there... I have a long way to go but I figure I'll just make a list and start collecting things when I can and cross them off. The bishop talked about the importance of not only being prepared for what my family needs but having enough to help others as well. I'll get there. If anybody has any tips on this subject I'd love to hear them!

and we're back

2011-01-19T12:48:00.000-08:00

Time to get back into the blogging world! Its been a while...

Happy 2011! We had a great 2010 with Becks birth and the recent holidays. Thanks to all who sent us Christmas cards! We loved getting your pictures and family updates. I was hoping to get one out but ran out of time. So here is our picture and update.

Beck is almost seven months now! It has gone by so fast. He already has his two front bottom teeth and more are coming in. He is finally getting his hair back. He rolls all over and is about to crawl (time to baby proof my house!). Its so funny to watch him get up on his knees and push off with his feet diving an inch forward. He loves to bounce, yell and play with anything! He loves when we sing him songs and read him books. He LOVES watching "baby einstein" but I try to limit TV time as much as possible. He chews on everything (including his feet) and will eat whatever we feed him. He especially likes prunes, peas and oatmeal. His new favorite play place is a cardboard box my friend Jesse gave us while I was helping her unpack in her new house. We set him in the box with some toys so he wouldn't escape and he sat there playing so contently we had to take it home. Thanks Aunt Jesse! I decorated it so it wouldn't look so white trash! Beck is a great traveler. Since his birth we've been to california three times, Idaho and St George. He is great in the car and in the air. I hope it stays that way!

Beck's "play box"

THANK YOU Bunten family, Hodge family and grandparents for all my books!

Mommy's two favorite things!

Teeth!!!

Beck is a very lucky baby. He gets more love than anything in the world. His aunts love to smother him and his grandparents cant get enough, not to mention all the hugs and kisses he gets from his daddy and I. You can sit and kiss his cheeks over and over while he is busy playing with something and he wont even flinch, he is so used to it.

Christmas was so fun this year. Beck and I flew out a week early to visit my family before heading to Sonora where we spent actual Christmas with Justin's family. My parents spoiled him (and me) and we loved all the attention. My dad is so sweet with Beck, sneaking him into his bed at night to cuddle causing me to almost have a heart attach when I snuck into check on him and he was gone! My mom couldn't even get mad when Beck knocked a candle off a shelf spilling it all over my mom, her phone, grand piano, walls and carpet making a huge mess. Beck loved visiting with his other grandparents too snuggling and playing with new toys. He got to know is cousin Easton better and it was so fun to watch them interact and play together. Christmas is so much more fun with babies! Everything is.

Beck with his Christmas presents

Grandma Smith

Grandpa Smith

cousins

Clark Family Christmas Photos by Aimee Brown

Justin and I are also doing well. Justin is doing great at work, working with doctors, and is now thinking of going back to school to do something in medicine possibly next year. A CRNA is at the top of his list but we will see. I LOVE my job... a mommy! And try to read, craft and exercise during any down time I have. Soon we will be moving to Salt Lake to be closer to Justin's office. I cant wait for the day he can be home before 6:30 and we can meet him for lunch but I am honestly going to miss Provo. We love our home and our friends and having sibling close by.

Our goals for this year are to move, get ready for another baby, attend the temple more often, become more organized, get back into shape, and to grow closer as a family doing fun things.

We hope everyone is healthy and happy and that you know how much we love and appreciate you!

BECK EZRA SMITH

2010-07-25T20:40:00.000-07:00

June 22nd we welcomed little Beck into the world and into our family. He is beautiful. We feel so lucky. On more than one occasion we were told that life would turn upside down once he arrived and it has, but in the best way possible.

Labor and delivery went smooth. I started having contractions around 2:30am but they were still fairly far apart so I decided to wait to wake Justin until they were closer together. Around 4:30 am the contractions became closer coming every 5-7 minutes. I decided to wake Justin and get ready to head out. We finished packing up our bags, Got dressed and straightened up (I even made our bed) and waited for the contractions to come less than five minutes apart and then headed to the hospital. We checked in around 7:30am feeling excited and a little anxious. I was dilated to a 4 1/2 so they told me I was staying! Because I had already been in five weeks earlier with bad contractions I was a little nervous but felt as ready as I could possibly be. Justin was so cute after the nurse left looking at me, holding my hand, smiling and said, "we're having a baby today".

I thought the experience would be intense but it went incredibly smooth. Shortly after my doctor arrived, he broke my water and I got the epidural. I felt good. My family came in around lunch time and with lunch not knowing I was only allowed ice chips... torture! I was nervous it would drive me nuts having so many people in the room but it was actually very nice. My dad kept playing songs on his phone and the girls would sing and dance around making me laugh and keeping me awake and distracted. I'm seriously so glad they were there. Even Justin who is still getting used to the crazy Clark clan said it was fun having them there.

Finally around 3pm I got the clear to start pushing. Justin was so encouraging and sweet through the whole thing. My sisters took turns fanning my face and keeping me laughing in between contractions and my sweet dad (who wasn't going to stay but did after I told him I was cool with it) stood at my shoulders so as not to see anything embarrassing and video taped from an appropriate angle which I'm so glad I have. After almost two hours, at 4:52, Beck finally arrived with his arms stretched out and crying. I can't describe the feeling I had seeing him for the first time. I couldn't believe this baby boy is what what growing inside me for nine months! I couldn't stop crying. It was so amazing looking at this new little face for the first time as they handed him to me. He seemed so perfect. He is:)

We loved having family and friends visit us in the hospital and at home. Thanks to those who brought us food and have helped me as I've adjusted to life as a new mom. We feel so blessed to have such wonderful people in our lives. Thanks to my mom for staying with me for three whole weeks after Beck was born! I don't know if I would have survived alone after Justin went back to work!

I'm so grateful for this new little blessing and for my incredible husband. Justin was so wonderful through my pregnancy and was my rock through the birth. I love you!

Grandpa Clark

2010-06-18T12:01:00.000-07:00

Only a couple of weeks ago my grandpa was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and on June 8th he passed away. Today is his funeral in St. George, UT but because I'm 9 months pregnant, my doctor (who is actually my grandpa's brother) advised me not to make the trip. He will however be buried in Salt Lake City tomorrow so Justin and I will be able to at least be there for that.

I don't have the kind of memories I'm sure most people have of their grandpas but mine are special in their own way. My grandpa wasn't the type to hide candy in his pockets or smother with hugs and kisses but was a true example, always teaching something. He was a do-er. Always moving. Even when visiting my home growing up he was the first one awake every morning and usually outside as the sun was coming up, pruning trees or pulling weeds. instead of telling jokes at the dinner table he would quiz us on capitols of the world or tell us where our names originated from. He was very interested in our accomplishments and would often send us articles from the ensign or a newspaper about something important that reminded him of one of us or an article to "hint" at a way to better ourselves. He sometimes "red penned" letters we sent him to correct grammatical errors or misspelled words. Although it sounds annoying I think we all appreciated the time he took to teach us. My grandpa was a doctor, a neurosurgeon, and spent quite a bit of time over seas after his retirement helping to organize hospitals and perform surgeries. My sisters Oakley and Summer were able to accompany him on one trip to Ethiopia and see him in action. My grandpa was extremely healthy his whole life. I can remember hiking Mount Timpanogos, a two day hike, with him and some cousins when I was younger. He loved being outside. He started running marathons in his sixties! He only outlived his dad by barely a year which was a shock to us all. His dad lived just shy of his 109th birthday. The saddest part of grandpa's death was that I think he thought he had years left and the cancer took him incredibly fast. I wasn't with him through the last days of his life but from what I understand, he was happy and even though in pain, an incredibly good sport. We will all miss him deeply.

Grandpa we love you and can't wait to see you again someday.

Below I've included his obituary;

John Russell Clark of St. George, Utah, passed away on June 8, 2010, of pancreatic cancer. An avid marathon runner since the age of 61, John was known to many as a very health-conscious physician. When his own father passed away nine months ago at nearly 109 years of age, many agreed that John would be another centenarian and possibly even outlive Russell B. Clark. "Clarks don't get cancer," he had told his family in recent years, having conducted a study of his genealogy in 1981 which revealed that his progenitors had mostly died of old age, strokes, and bicycle or car accidents.

John was born in Chicago, Illinois on November 19, 1933, to Russell B. and Ruby Dorius Clark. John learned the meaning of "work" at an early age, spending his summers on the family farm in Georgetown, Idaho. His early interest in medicine was encouraged while working alongside his father, a well-established physician in Chicago. The family moved to southern California during John's high school years. He later attended Stanford University where he met his wife, Antoinette Evans. They were married April 18, 1957 in the Salt Lake Temple, then moved to Philadelphia so he could complete his studies at Hahnemann Medical School in 1959. Their six children were born in Philadelphia, Hawaii, Salt Lake City, and Long Beach before John set up his neurosurgical practice in Chico, California, in 1969. The family remained in Chico for 25 years, where John's professional and community service included the Boy Scouts of America, the Butte-Glenn County Medical Society, and the American Academy of Neurological Surgeons, among others. Politically active in the community, John spear-headed numerous fundraisers and campaigns from their vibrant home, and an open-door policy brought in many foster children over the years.

John had obtained his pilot's license and enjoyed flying with his family, as well as water-skiing, snow-skiing, and mountain-climbing. More than reaching the top himself, John's greatest thrill was to tow others using a rope tied around his waist. He often told his grandchildren, "Someday you will do the same for me."

In 1991, John was called into active military duty during Desert Storm, and his service in Dubai and Kuwait meant leaving his thriving medical practice in Chico. Upon his return, John and Antoinette began their transition to Utah, but retirement brought no slowing of his pace. At age 61, he began running two marathons each year, totaling 24 marathons by his final age of 76.

John was active in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints all of his life, serving in various capacities. Favorite callings included scoutmaster and bishop. He loved to meet new people, always showing his interest in others. He often championed the underdog, quietly doing good and building the lives of others. After retirement, John regularly traveled to Ethiopia as a volunteer humanitarian doctor, treating patients and training medical students at the University of Addis Ababa and the Black Lion Hospital. He has also served medical missions in Guatemala, Singapore, Tanzania, China and Bulgaria.

He is survived by his wife, Antoinette Evans Clark, and his children: April Clark Clive (Cliff); John Evans Clark (Kathleen); David Dorius Clark (Dodie); Sara Clark Madsen (Steve); Wendy Clark Ludlow (Brian); and Colleen Niau Clark Fear (Paul). He is also survived by 29 grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren. Two sisters include Beverly Clark Johnson (Dale) and Barbara Clark Boies (Bob), and two brothers, Robert Brent Clark (Anne) and Stephen Craig Clark (Lindi).

Funeral services will be held Friday, June 18, 2010 at 3:00 p.m. in the Bloomington Third Ward chapel at 3519 Manzanita Road, St George, Utah. A viewing will be held beginning at 1:00 p.m. that afternoon. Interment will be in the Salt Lake City Cemetery at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, June 19, located at 200 N Street, Salt Lake City, Utah.

fun

2010-06-01T13:54:00.000-07:00

Justin is the sweetest thing. He has been spending lots of time after work and on the weekends working on building the crib for the baby. This past weekend while he was there at the shop he made me a necklace. A wooden heart with a gold chain. I love it.

I've been trying to get my house organized and ready to have this baby. I could really go at any time now being in the middle of my 36th week. Time is flying and I feel like I have so much to do still! My mom keeps telling me not to do to much because she doesn't want me going into labor before she gets here. Here are some of the things for baby:)

Here are some of the earlier pictures I took of Justin in the wood shop. He has done quite a bit more since. I can't wait for the crib to be finished and home.

A few weeks ago my friend Natalie and her friend Blair did a maternity shoot for me. The pictures turned out darling. We almost didn't do it because we thought it was going to rain. Last second we decided we would give it a shot so I threw on an outfit and we ran over to this little park not to far away. The shoot was super fun! I had a hard time choosing pictures to post.

I made Justin meet us there so he could jump in a few pictures. I'm glad he did. I just wish I had planned outfits better but that's okay.

baby drama

2010-05-21T13:41:00.000-07:00

So I'm about five weeks away from my due date and have been feeling anxious to say the least. At least I was anxious until a couple of days ago...

On Wednesday my sister Oakley met me at my house to run some errands and help get our other sister Summer ready for a two week trip to Africa. Oaks hubby was out of town so we thought we would help Summer pack after she got off work and then do dinner or something fun. After that Oak would spend the night and we would take Sum to the airport the next day. Well plans changed...

Oakley and I ran over to her in-laws house to pick up some stuff Summer needed for her trip and while we were there I started feeling some pain in my back and abdomen. I thought it might have been due to all the walking around or the million cake bites Oak brought me that I scarfed down but the pain was getting worse and I started getting worried. I tried not to make a big deal about it thinking we wouldn't be there long but after about fifteen minutes it was getting unbearable. I told Oak I needed to go but because I wasn't screaming in pain she didn't seem to realize the urgency. Finally I demanded we go and she knew something was wrong. I got in the car and told her I thought I needed to go to the hospital. I wasn't thinking I was in labor because the pain didn't come and go like I've been told contractions do. It was continuous and seemed to be getting worse with every minute. The pain got so bad that the cake bites she had brought me earlier came back up along with my lunch in Oaks back seat. My brain was so focused on how I was feeling that the thought of rolling down the window didn't even cross my mind. I just leaned over and puked three times mumbling sorry in between. Oak was so worried and flustered trying to get to the hospital and trying to tell Justin on the phone where we were going that she took a wrong turn and ended up at a dead end in some neighborhood. I thought I was going to die... seriously. I think I even told her to let me out on a corner so I could lie down on someones grass and she could call an ambulance. I'm glad she didn't do that!

Finally we arrived at the hospital. Oak wheeled me up to the fifth floor to check in. I was told in the birthing class Jus and I are taking to pre-register four weeks before the due date so of course I hadn't yet. So sitting there feeling like I might pass out I had to answer what seemed like a bunch of questions and sign something (I think just admitting me in??) and finally got to a room. Justin was still driving back from Salt Lake and I was dying for him to get there. Thank goodness I was with Oakley and she was able to get me where I needed to be. I don't know what I would have done if I was out and about by myself.

I cant remember exactly what happened in what order the next six hours but it was no fun. I'm very sensitive to needles and hospitals and people wearing scrubs for that matter. No joke. I fainted when I got my ears pierced, passed out during my wisdom teeth consultation and I throw up when getting shots sometimes. During the times I've had to get blood drawn or shots during this pregnancy I've had to lay down with Justin holding my hand and blowing on my face. The nurses know how freaked I get and always bring in juice for me to drink after I get pricked. I know it's all in my head but I cant shake it. Hopefully this experience will toughen me up.

Anyways, Justin finally arrived and we found out I was was actually having preterm contractions, about 2-3 minutes apart. I was only dilated to a one but was effaced at 60%. They gave me three shots of a drug to help slow down the contractions but it made my heart rate go up which eventually made the baby's heart rate go up as well. The shots were spread out and I wanted to cry every time they came in to give me one. They told me I was a little dehydrated so I needed an IV. The nurse tried putting it in my right hand but the vein rolled on her and they had to put it in the other. I think that was more painful then the contractions! I was so freaked out my blood pressure dropped and I felt faint. My hands tingle thinking about it. Oak patted my face with cold clothes and Justin held my hand and talked me through it. Summer showed up as well just before that so I had a lot of support, however I think she was upset thinking she would either miss the birth of my baby or have to cancel her trip to Africa. Luckily the contractions finally stopped and she didn't miss anything. Summer left after a few hours to start packing and Oakley left to go help not long after that. I felt so bad that Oak had to leave in her barf-covered car:( She was such a good sport about it.

After the contractions stopped, we still had to wait for the baby's heart rate to go down which took a couple of hours. His heart rate is supposed to be in the 150's-160's but was in the 190's due to the medicine they gave me. I also had to get a shot in my hip for the baby's lungs (in case he did decide to come early) and had to have some antibiotics through the IV.

Finally around 12:30 we were able to check out and head home. It was a long day. Part of me wanted them to just get the baby out so I don't have to do that all again in a month! I've been so anxious for this baby to come and now that I've had a taste of what it's going to be like, I'm scared as heck!

The next day I had to go in and see my doctor. Justin took the day off work so he could take me. The drugs they gave me at the hospital made my legs shake all night so I got very little sleep and was not looking forward to a doctor visit. My doctor had me do a blood test and get another shot of antibiotics. My white blood cell count was a little high so I guess there is concern I may have a little infection. I was so sick of needles and so tired I had to fight back tears.Thank goodness I had Justin with me. We then were sent back over to the hospital for another shot to help the baby's lungs. It was the second dose of the one I had the night before and it stung like heck. As soon as I was able to stand up, we headed downstairs for our birthing class where we watched actual birthing videos... As soon as we walked out of class I burst into tears. Justin was so sweet and encouraging. I'm so lucky to have such a wonderful husband.

Over all, everything is great. I'm feeling better and trying to get lots of rest. I'm so grateful to live in a time and place where these things can be taken care of so easily even though it's no fun. As silly as it sounds, I'm grateful for the discomforts of the last weeks of pregnancy knowing that feeling like crap is going to be what helps me prepare for this baby to come.

We are almost ready for his arrival as far as everything we need, although we are still debating names. I guess it's good he didn't come Wednesday! The baby's room isn't set up yet but is somewhat organized. We are trying to get rid of our futon to make room for the crib so if anyone needs one, let me know! Justin decided a few weeks ago to make the crib himself. We have a friend who's parents have a wood shop they are letting Justin work in on the weekends. I think building a crib is a bigger project than Justin thought it would be but he is loving it and doing a great job! Since I'm supposed to be taking it easy and staying home, I've started watching the first season of "LOST" and am hooked even though it makes no sense half the time. I feel like such a bum sitting at home but that's okay I guess. I haven't been good about posting pictures but I'll have some fun ones up soon. My girl friend Natalie is a photographer and took some cute ones a couple of weeks ago. Ill post some as soon as I get them.

This isn't the greatest picture... I think I'm about 30 weeks here.

what we've been up to...

2010-04-23T15:46:00.000-07:00

We've had a crazy couple of months. I have pictures to post but I'll have to add them later because my computer isn't uploading them for some reason. Darn:)

We have been so blessed lately. Justin got a new job and loves it! He works for a company in Salt Lake called CompHealth where he helps doctors find hospitals to work in and hospitals find doctors they need. He is learning lots about the medical field and although he is still training (the training program lasts three months) he is already bringing in new clients and doing incredibly well. We thought about moving up north so his commute wasn't as far but since our baby is due in two months we are going to wait until later this year or possibly early next.

A couple of weeks ago my mom and sisters threw me a baby shower. It was so much fun! My mom and Natalie made lots of yummy food and the girls did a great job decorating and planning games. My dad helped with the set up as well before rushing out with the boys! Thanks to all of you that came to celebrate with me and for the thoughtful gifts! I know it was both Easter and conference weekend so I really appreciate everyone that came! Thanks to the girls and to Nat for doing so much to make the shower so much fun! I love you all!

My mom was great during her visit helping me to get organized and get the things needed for the baby's arrival. This is going to be one spoiled baby! The baby's room is piled with gifts and things needed that Justin and I have collected. I cant wait to get everything put away! My belly is getting big! I love it but it makes getting things done a little harder. Justin and I love to sit and watch my stomach move. We see kicks and punches pretty often now and it's crazy to watch. Justin had his head on my tummy a few weeks ago while watching tv and the baby kicked him in the face. Its so much fun but I'm starting to feel anxious for this little guy to come. Although I've had a pretty mild pregnancy compared to most it's still no picnic. My ribs and back hurt like crazy, I don't sleep well and I have acid reflex galore. I also cant take one sip of water without having to pee and commercials make me cry. If you're wondering about the name we have chosen, we haven't. Justin and I are having the hardest time agreeing on anything! We may get to the hospital and have to draw a name out of a hat.

A couple weekends ago (right after my family left) Justin and I took a little vacation with some awesome friends that live in our complex. We had a blast. Lindsey and Jordan live a few doors down but are originally from Vegas and invited us and some other friends from our complex to go stay with them in Lindseys parents house while her parents were out of town. Her parents have a huge house with an awesome backyard to play in. We swam, went boating and walked around the strip and enjoyed relaxing. So much fun and so needed. We returned to decent weather in Provo but of course the cold is back. The last few days have been cold and wet. We thought the cold was over earlier this week when we had a few warm nights playing in the courtyard with all the neighbors. Justin and I drove out to Utah lake last Sunday and it was beautiful outside. Justin brought his fishing bow (of course) and even tried to catch a fish. He ended up loosing an arrow and had to walk out thigh high into the water to try and find it. It was funny until he got in the car and smelled like the nasty lake... Pretty to look at but not to swim in.

Well we are excited for this summer! I can't wait to spend the last of my pregnant days in a pool! We are so excited to have the baby and start a new chapter in our lives. We are so grateful for our wonderful families and our wonderful friends! Grateful that Justin has a job he likes and that baby and I are healthy.

Valentines Day

2010-02-19T13:44:00.000-08:00

I was one spoiled girl this year! Justin really went all out in making Valentines day perfect. I wasn't thinking we were going to do anything because he had bought us the ultimate gift a few days early... a new bed! Our old one was in bad shape and with me having a terrible back and being pregnant it was time to upgrade. We are now happy owners of an Inteligel king size bed. It is wonderful.

We were lucky to have Justin's Brother Brandon with his wife Jamie and baby Easton stay with us Valentines day weekend while they were here for Jamie's bothers wedding.We had so much fun with them and loved seeing Easton again! He's the cutest. Unfortunately little E got sick while visiting and we just found out he went home with a cold that turned into RSV. Poor little boy. We don't get to see them very often so having them here was super fun! Hopefully Easton will be healthy again soon:(

Because we had a busy weekend and already had our v-day gift I thought that was it for valentines day. However, Justin came home from work on Monday with flowers, chocolate, a cleaned out car and took me out to a yummy dinner at Chefs Table. Am I lucky or what?! I was totally surprised he went all out! I feel bad I didn't do a dang thing for him... I love that boy:)

As for my creative side... I finally finished a baby blanket I've been working on. It turned out pretty cute (as long as you don't look to closely). I'm not a great seamstress and this project took a lot of patience but I thought it would be fun to make my baby's first blanket. Thanks for guiding me through it Candice! It was a fun project.

Baby Boy...

2010-02-09T10:08:00.000-08:00

This morning we had our official 20 week ultrasound. Our baby is for sure a boy and growing healthy and strong. It was so fun to watch him move around. He kept putting his arms up by his face so it took a while to get a good face shot. The ultrasound tech teased that the baby is going to be a boxer since he keeps his little fists in a blocking position. The baby measures 10" from head to bottom and is only 3 1/2 cm beneath my skin! I thought that was interesting. I know some people think that these pictures are kinda creepy but I love having them! It's so fun to have pictures! I'm posting especially for my parents and sister Madeleine so they can see what the little guy looks like.

Here is one of the few face shots we got. I think it sorta looks like he's smiling.

In this one you can see his little hand in front of his face.

He kept tucking his legs under his bottom but this picture confirms the gender...

Here is his profile. His left fist is up by his forehead.

It was an exciting visit and we are so happy everything is going so well. We cant wait for the little guy come!

Holiday and Baby Update

2010-01-20T11:28:00.000-08:00

Well the holidays are over and we are back home and back into our daily routine. Christmas was great! We had so much fun with our families although getting to California was quite an adventure. We had to wait until Justin got off work to hit the road so it was already late and we were anxious to get going. We figured we had enough gas to get to Wendover, however our digital gas reading was wrong... we ran out. Luckily our friends Jordan and Kristine were driving to Cali as well and right behind us! How lucky for us!!! They saw us stopped and came to our rescue. Kristine had a Triple A card and let us use it (thanks Kristine). We had to wait an hour for someone to get to us which set us even more behind but it could have been worse. Plus with me being pregnant we had double the potty stops and snack stops so we didn't roll into Sonora until a little after 4am. Poor Justin drove the whole way and was so tired. When we walked into the house my sister-in-law was up feeding her new baby so were got to meet little Easton for the first time in the middle of the night. He is the cutest thing ever! We spent four days in Sonora and four days (including actual Christmas) in Elk Grove with my family. We ate tons of food, watched some fun movies (including home videos of Justin, I loved it), played outside, went bowling and visited with neighbors and friends. We love going home. Christmas was perfect.

New years was also fun. We did a "fondue" dinner and made yummy desserts. Natalie and I had fun preparing everything. We watched the ball drop at midnight and popped poppers. Happy 2010!!!

Justin and I are so excited to be having our first baby this year! We just found out we are having a little BOY!!! During the ultrasound the baby was moving all over so it was hard to get a view of the private zone but after walking around for a half hour, doing handstands in the hall and drinking lots of water we were finally able to get him high enough to position him correctly. Its still pretty early and he is still small enough to fit in my hand so there is lots of room for him swim around. My aunt Dodie is a nurse and was there during the ultrasound. She is very good at explaining whats going on inside! I'm learning so much. I'm so so grateful that I've had a wonderful experience so far in my pregnancy. For the most part I have been feeling great! The hardest parts are the doctor visits. Those of you who know me know I don't do well in hospitals. I had to have blood taken for the second time last week and I get so nervous it's embarrassing. I had Justin and two nurses talking me though it and holding my hands... It's weird I know. I haven't been so good about taking tummy pictures but here is one at 16 weeks. I'm now 17 1/2.

16 weeks. Not the greatest picture but better than nothing!

To tell my family we were having a boy, we sent them each a picture text of my belly with the words "It's a BOY" written in eyeliner on it. That's as creative as I could get being so far away. I'm almost halfway through. June seems so far away but I'm actually enjoying being pregnant.

Yup, it's true...

2009-12-15T16:44:00.000-08:00

We have a bun in the oven! I found out I was pregnant at the end of September and we are thrilled! I'm about thirteen weeks and feeling great! The first eight weeks or so I felt a little sick off and on but for the most part I have felt incredibly well. I have felt so well that I was a little nervous when we went in for our first ultrasound wondering if there was really something growing inside me! But when we saw the baby everything finally felt real and the little thing was practically doing flips, moving all over the place! It's pretty amazing to see your baby for the first time. I'm due at the end of June (seems so far away).

Speaking of babies, my darling sister-in-law had an adorable baby boy in November. Little Easton is the first baby in the family so we are super excited! We get to see him for the first time over Christmas... we can't wait!

Justin is excited to be a daddy. He always refers to the baby as a "he" but says he will love a girl just as much. I think he just wants a playmate. His latest hobbies are things only boys (at least I think only boys) really enjoy. He has been hunting and trapping with his friend Mark and also solo quite a bit lately and just finished a wood-shop class where he built me a beautiful chest to keep blankets in. It turned out really pretty, the pictures don't do it justice.

Oh the orange vest... never thought Id marry a hunter...

Justin brought me to class one night. It was actually kinda fun watching him work. I even got to help a little and took pictures the rest of the time.

Other than that, life is pretty much the same. We are excited for the holidays and looking forward to our trip in California. We hope everyone has a safe and wonderful Christmas! We love you all!

Our One Year Anniversary!

2009-08-30T21:47:00.000-07:00

Ok it's a little late but I thought I should just say how much I love my wonderful husband. This has been an exciting first year for us and I have loved every moment. I feel so lucky to be married to such an amazing person. I love him so much! We not only made it through the first year but I think we have grown to love each other even more. Happy late anniversary Jus! I love you forever and ever babe!

Last couple weeks

2009-08-30T20:32:00.000-07:00

We have had a crazy couple of weeks!!! My cousin Amy got married this past week so we had family in town and of course had lots of partying to do. My mom flew in for the wedding and stayed a few extra days so I got to spend some time with her. We had a fun time just hanging out. My cousin Estef (Amy's sister-in-law) had her baby and little Nico is healthy and beautiful, arriving during all the wedding craziness!

Amy and Mark just married!

Reception night

Family dinner, fun with the cousins!

Little Nico. I need me one of these...

The week before the wedding, my great grandma passed away so my Dad flew in for the funeral and even though his visit wasn't for fun, we loved spending time with him. The funeral was very nice and my great grandpa is still hanging on at 109! During that same weekend our clutch went out and to avoid paying hundreds to take it to a shop, Justin spent two full days, sun up to sun down, working on it himself down in our parking garage. What a man. He fixed it with the help of his brother and a couple of friends saving us lots of dough! Both nights coming in looking like he fell down a chimney! He was so dirty.

Last week was also our one year anniversary but because of everything going on we really didn't get a chance to celebrate so we went out and celebrated yesterday instead. We had some of our wedding pictures printed and then headed up to Salt Lake where we had dinner at Cucina Toscana up in Salt lake. The same place we ate the night Justin proposed. Then we went to the gateway mall and Justin bought me a new phone. Doesn't sound super exciting but it was still a fun and special day. Dinner was especially nice. I love you babe!

This week is going to be just as busy and exciting! Justin's youngest brother is leaving for his mission in Paraguay. Both mom and dad Smith are driving him out here tomorrow so we will have a couple days to spend with them before Cameron is dropped off at the missionary training center. We are so excited for him! I didn't have any brothers to send off on a mission so I'm excited I get a chance to experience it.

More Summer Fun!

2009-08-04T09:34:00.000-07:00

We have taken lots of trips this summer. In June we were in California for my sisters wedding. She was a beautiful bride and Scott was beaming. The wedding was beautiful and the reception lots of fun. We love Scott and his family and are excited Oak has someone amazing to take care of her. After the two left for their honeymoon, the rest of my family and my cousin's family took a little trip to Monterey Bay and San Francisco. We went to the Monterey Aquarium, Cannery row, Fishermans Wharf, China town, Ghirardelli Square and rode the Trolly through the city. We had so much fun. The only rough part of the trip was that Justin and I were both on standby flights and missed flights here and there. It took us forever to get to Cali and Justin had to stay a night in Southern Cal on his way back. I stayed an extra 5 days and had a very relaxing time hanging out at my parents pool and visiting with friends. I woke up every morning to help my mom water plants in the back yard which I loved. I cant wait to have a yard!

I don't have pictures from the wedding yet but I love this picture of them.

Monterey Bay

My cousins, Sadie and Cassey

Maddy posing in a giant Penguin egg...

San Francisco. On our way to China town!

Fortune Cookies being made...

I took a couple trips of my own this summer as well. My sister Summer and I went to visit our cousin in Idaho to see his new baby. It was a quick trip but worth seeing baby Christian and visiting with family. A couple weeks ago I left Justin alone again to help my friend Katie sit for some friends of hers in St. Goerge. It was SOOO hot. Luckily they had a pool so we spent most the week swimming and playing with kids. The youngest one was only 5 months so I loved it.

Clark, Rachael and baby Christian after his blessing.

The two youngest Schone kids in St George. I wasnt very good about taking pictures while we were there...

This past weekend we went to Vegas!!! Justin has never been there and the last time I was there was a few years ago. Our good friends Mark and Katie had a time share there are invited us to come. We had so much fun. We swam a lot during the day and hung out on the strip once the sun started going down.

All four of us about to watch the water show. It's a little dark...

We went to Siegfried and Roy's Secret Garden and Dolphin Habitat where we saw dolphins and tigers.

Hanging out on the crazy strip

Summer time and blogging

2009-07-22T20:50:00.000-07:00

This summer has been great! We have had a chance to do some really fun things and are doing really well! I haven't been a very good blogger the last few months so now it's time to catch up.

There have been some questions as to why I have a second blog. It's kind of silly but I'll explain really quick...

A couple of years ago while Justin and I were dating, we had a married friend that was into blogging and suggested that we start one. We had been dating a little over a year so I guess she thought we would be engaged any day... we weren't for another year. Well one night while Justin and I were hanging out at his apartment playing on his laptop, we pulled up blogger and signed up. If you look back to the first post, Justin was the first to write. During this point in our relationship I wasn't fully ready to commit. I loved Justin tons but just didn't feel ready to talk marriage. Friends kept telling me to post but I felt kinda weird having a blog with my boyfriend. Because of an experience with a previous boyfriend, I didn't want to be super connected just in case things didn't turn out the way I hoped. Make sense? So while at work one day a girlfriend helped me start my own. I had to think of a title on the spot so I chose "even on those rainy days" being the title of a song I wrote a long time ago. I started writing on that blog for the most part. I don't think I really started using this blog until we were married or at least engaged. I think Justin posted a few way back which I teased him for but now I'm glad he did. I love to look back on those early posts since I mainly write for us to remember. After we got married and I really started blogging, I thought I'd just post on my "personal" blog the things that I have accomplished or things I've done alone. This blog would be for things we have done together. It is a bit of a pain going back and forth though so maybe eventually this will be the only blog I use. I'm not a super journal writer so I love blogging. I also love to see what friends are up too! I hope that clears up the confusion Mardee and Brooke!

Now catch up...

Justin has been super busy with work. They make lots of changes over there so he has been learning lots. On his down time, we really like to get outside. We went shooting a few weeks ago, have done lots of swimming, bike riding and hiking. I feel so lucky to live in such a beautiful place! I didn't grow up around mountains and there are so many gorgeous spots here to enjoy. We are dying to go camping but it seems like there is never a good time. I doubt we will live here forever so we want to take advantage of all there is to do while we are here. We have had a lot of rain so the mountains have stayed so green. I love it.

Finally...

2009-05-06T13:02:00.000-07:00

Finally the rain has stopped! I wouldn't say we've had pool weather yet but at least it's been warm. Justin and I hiked up Rock Canyon last Saturday and it was so nice to spend time out side! It was so fun to just get out and stretch our legs and get some fresh air! Everything was so green and pretty. I wish I took my camera with us! We ran into a guy on the trail with the most beautiful dogs. I could tell they were happy to be out running up and down the trail too!!! Yea for Spring!

Florida Fun...

2009-04-17T10:33:00.000-07:00

Florida was a blast! We left Utah just as a storm was coming in and arrived in Florida to 80 degree weather! It was so nice. We stayed the first night with family friends (Mike and Liz) in Orlando. We went to their kids baseball game, ate a yummy dinner, stayed up all night talking and went boating on the St Johns river with Mike the next day where we saw alligators and turtles!!! We love Mike, Liz and their boys tons!

Justin loves boating!

One of the Alligators we saw. This one sunbathing.

Justin and I swimming with the alligators... JK, I'm not crazy, we were in a part of the lake where the water is clear and the gators stay away... still felt a little nervous getting in but I couldn't be a sissy right??

I'm Bummed I didn't get any pictures with Liz or the kids :(

The next day we checked into our hotel with our cousins Mike and Melissa and headed straight to the pool. We spent the next couple days with them at Disney! It was so much fun!!! It was Mike and Melissa's idea to take this trip and we are so happy we did! I'm so lucky to have family out there too so double bonus for me! My cousin Jenny and her two daughters met us at Disney and hung out with us part of the time there. She goes to Disney World like 10 times a year so she was very helpful in telling us what to see and do.

Mike, Melissa, Me and Justin in front of Micky's wizard hat!

Dinner at Planet Hollywood

In line for a ride, Justin wearing my pink backpack:)

Jus and I in front of the "Rockin' Roller Coaster"! This one one of our favorite rides!

Melissa and Mike at the stunt show... awesome show!

Because we went all the way out there I decided to meet my mom a couple of hours away at my grandmas house and stayed an extra 9 days visiting with her and my aunt and uncle. Justin and I drove down with Jenny after attending church in Kissimee and hugging Mike and Melissa goodbye! Justin only stayed one night before having to leave me to get home and back to work. Luckily he had time to hit the beach one day and hang out with the crazy fam a bit (my grandma carries a gun in her walker).

Both in desperate need of some sun!

Sadie, Me and Cassy

Running like a model in the waves... we both got burnt!

During those long 9 days my mom and I spent a lot of time listening to grandmas stories, baking, photo copying family records and recipes and made it out to the beach again. I got to spend some time out in the yard with Uncle Jimmy and I ran errands and watched the CMT awards with Aunt Debbye. I also got to watch my favorite movie TWICE while I was there because they have had it for years and its hard to find anywhere else... Funny Girl. I stayed with our friend Crystal a few blocks away and had fun visiting with her and her family. She is an amazing host.

Three generations. Mom, Mama, and Me.

Although we had a great time in florida, I was so excited to come home. I think I was too anxious because the morning I arrived at the Orlando air port (tired and no food in my tummy) I got on the plane and had a mild panic attack! I'm so weird like that...

THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE HOME!!! Seriously...

And tomorrow we are off!

2009-03-24T08:22:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow Justin and I are off to Florida! We are so darn excited. My cousin and her Husband invited us to go with them and we can't wait. We will spend a couple days at Disney World, go to the beach, sleep in and eat junk. Justin will be coming home when Melissa and Mike head back and I'll be staying an extra 9 days!!! The poor boy will be home all alone. My mom's family is out there so I'm going to stay and visit with them. My mom is meeting me there so it should be fun. This will be the longest time Justin and I have been apart since we've been married. I wish he could stay but he has to get back to work. I'll post some pictures when i get back in town!

So if it snows here in the next couple weeks, good luck, have fun! I'll be working on my tan! ;)

Bye, bye!!!

Crazy Day...

2009-03-13T08:40:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was interesting to say the least. I woke up and started doing my normal stuff when I got a call from our complex manager. He told me that the gas company found a leak and that they might have to evacuate our complex so if I needed to shower or do anything at home I'd better do it now. I called my sister who lives downstairs and a few of my neighbors to tell them the same thing. I took a quick shower and started getting ready for the day thinking I could just go over to a friends or run some errands when all of a sudden I heard someone pounding on my door. I ran downstairs and opened the door to a couple of firemen who said I would have to leave the house immediately and walk across the street for further instructions. I was a little confused as I ran upstairs to change and grab my stuff when I heard another pound on the door. I pulled my jacket on and answered the door to three more firemen telling me I had to come now. I grabbed what I could and left. I felt a little nervous as I walked down the stairs because it seemed like there were firemen everywhere, knocking on doors and taping them off as people left. Was the building going to blow!?!?! I walked across the street and sat down on the corner with some friends, my hair dripping wet. After a few minutes someone walked over and told us that a bus was coming to pick us up and take us to the red cross center to wait. We couldn't take our cars until the leak was fixed. We waited a little longer and watched the police, firemen and reporters do their thing. The Bus picked us up and and took us five blocks away to safety... The red cross did an excellent job making everyone comfortable while we waited. Everyone there except me and one other girl had little kids so I'm sure the experience was frustrating for them however red cross brought in dippers and toys help make the wait easier. They brought in lunch too which was nice, even though it was from McD's. I would have had Justin come get me but he didn't have a car and I didn't think we would be there for as long as we were. The one good thing that came out of the experience was getting to know some of my neighbors I probably never would have known. When I got home there were people form the gas company walking into my house to re-set the gas pilot. Finally by 4:00 I was able to start my day!

This was the only picture I took, darn it. It was taken from the bus so you can't see half of what was going on. Better than nothing.

Justin and I were talking about the eventful day later on that night and discussed how important it is to make sure we have all our insurance stuff in order just in case. On the subject of finance, we signed up for mint.com which is awesome!!! Check it out if you haven't already! Great way to budget and know exactly where all your money is going!

Travis...

2009-02-23T19:44:00.000-08:00

This past Saturday Justin decided to go on a "guys day tip" out ice fishing with some friends from work. He had never been before and had a blast! He caught the first fish of the day measuring 15 inches long. I named the fish Travis the Trout. Justin came home with a terrible sunburn from sitting on the snow covered ice all day but said it was totally worth it. I was excited for his success but not excited to have a big dead fish in our sink for Justin to gut. He wanted to show me how it's done in case I ever have to "feed our family in the wilderness"... we will become vegetarians. All I know is that I walked into the kitchen to see a headless bloody fish. I wanted to barf. He was loving it. He cleaned it out and stuffed the poor thing with lemon and baked it. Dinner was served and to my surprise, it wasn't all that bad. Not great, but not bad.

Once a boy, always a boy

2009-02-19T12:29:00.000-08:00

Yesterday my girlfriend Candice and her sweet little boys came over to play. The two year old was playing with Legos on the floor when Justin got home and Jus just couldn't resist but sit and help build! It was so cute. They were both way onto it, I just had to take a picture!

B took a break to watch TV while Justin kept working.

Best buds.

Valentines Day

2009-02-17T07:59:00.000-08:00

This Valentines day was great! It was so nice to have it on a Saturday. Justin and I spent the day just hanging out and that night went up to Log Haven for dinner. Log Haven was awesome! The food is amazing!!! Totally worth the drive up to Salt Lake. Anyone living here must go there at least once.

Our valentines day gifts to each other were very nice. Justin got me a sewing machine and I framed a collage of tickets from events we've been to together and a list of things I love about him. I love the sewing machine! I've never done much sewing but I recently learned how to quilt so now I can quilt at home and maybe learn how to do some other things as well. Justin actually gave it to me a week early. He had his friend from work take him to the "The Cotton Shop" to buy it. Justin said he felt extremely uncomfortable walking into a sewing shop with "another dude". He must love me. When he got home he put a note on the box and left it sitting on the bed while I was in the shower. I was so surprised when I walked in and saw it. He is so thoughtful. I love you Justin!

My gift to Justin.

Pretty nice right?!

Justin's note he had taped to the box. So sweet.

Super Bowl Sunday!

2009-02-01T20:44:00.000-08:00

Justin was excited to get home after church today and get the game on. I was excited to eat. We tried to get together with friends to watch the game but it didn't work out so it was just the two of us at home. The poor guy had to watch the super bowl with with a girl... me. He was cheering for the Cardinals so I used the opportunity to bet against him and and made him promise to give me a back rub if the Stealers won and vise versa. It was close but the Stealers won, HOORAY!!! We pigged out on chips and cookies and soda and Justin tried to explain how the game of football works, quizzing me off and on throughout the game (Like no one's ever explained it before... I DONT CARE!). Still it was nice to relax before the week starts up again. I hope everyone had a fun night!

Finally...

2009-01-14T15:12:00.000-08:00

When Justin and I got engaged we did what everyone has to do... house hunt (or apartment hunt in our case). We found this condo that we love! The only problem was that the washer and dryer were not included in the deal. We would have to buy them on our own. No prob right?? So we moved in and I would do laundry over at Natalie's or Oakley's. Easy enough for the first ten times. I kept assuring Justin that getting them wasn't first priority over other things we needed. Then the snow came and the laundry started to pile up and Justin saw how frustrating it was becoming. So last week we went out and FINALLY bought a washer and dryer. We had to get a stackable set which are hard to find and more expensive but we lucked out and got a great deal over at RCWilley. I've never loved doing laundry so much in my life! I couldn't wait to put in the first load. Justin and I even sat for a minute and watched the laundry spin through the little window. Amazing. It may sound lame, but when you don't have something for so long you feel spoiled when you get it. I'm even thinking of naming my first baby Frigidaire!

Justin set them up. I'm so happy he knows how to fix things and put things together. He is so handy. It's awesome.

2009-01-02T08:59:00.000-08:00

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE! WE LOVE YOU!!!

San Fran and Yosemite!

2008-12-30T20:29:00.000-08:00

I know this is the second post in one day but Justin is watching TV and I got bored. Im really not a loser. If you read my earlier post I talked about our California trip and our visit to the exciting yet crazy San Francisco and the beautiful Yosemite Park. I thought Id post some pictures. :)

Buying some yummy chocolate in SF!

Justin bought me a pearl necklace at Pier 39. We got to choose the clam we wanted and break it open and find the pearl. The guy working there let us do an extra one for free! I got a big white/pink one and a rare Blueish one. So fun.

Yosemite!

Justin's parents

All the kids
Justin playing in a snow cave someone made.

My new darling sister

California Christmas!

2008-12-30T08:57:00.000-08:00

I hope everyone had a great Christmas! Ours was awesome! Justin, Oakley and I drove out to Sacramento the Friday before Christmas to spend a few days with my family before Jus and I headed to Sonora to spend Christmas with his family. The car was packed to the ceiling and five hours was added to the drive because we hit a huge snow storm on the way out of Salt Lake! I thought we might not make it home with Justins driving frustration and Oakley dying, squished in the back seat. But we made it and it was so nice to finally be home and relax. We watched movies and did a giant puzzle, sang in my sisters ward and ate, ate, ate! We left for Sonora late Monday night. It was weird to be somewhere else for the holidays but we had a great time. My family came down on Christmas eve and we all had dinner together. Its such a blessing that our families live just two hours away from each other. Christmas morning we opened presents and had Disneyland waffles (ice cream on top). Justin got me some recording gear to add to the studio at home and also a bread maker! We spent Friday and Saturday visiting San Francisco and Yosemite. San Fran had more people shopping than I thought even existed in this world! Id was fun though. and Yosemite was beautiful with all the snow. We stopped back by my parents house on our way back to Utah to see what Santa left us there and to have breakfast. We also did our traditional raffle we do every year. It was hard to leave! This time we stuffed Jordan in the back seat instead of Oak. Justin taught me how to drive his car (stick shift)and I drove the whole way back. We had a blast. I wish Christmas lasted a little longer this year!

Justin, Oak, Summer and Carlos working on the puzzle

Daddy and Mommy
Clarks

Smiths

Ginger Bread

2008-12-19T07:40:00.000-08:00

A couple weeks ago we went over to the Fenns to make ginger bread houses. It was all home made and super fun. The boys constructed the whole thing cutting out paper to get the shapes perfect. It turned out awesome. We made windows out of melted candy, a pond out of cough drops (thanks Jamie for the idea), little animals and used nerds to make christmas lights. It took a lot of time and hands but all well worth it. Here are some pictures!

WANTED: WASHER AND DRYER!!!

2008-10-21T19:18:00.000-07:00

I never realized how important it is to have a washer and dryer until we moved into this place and DONT HAVE THEM!!! We have the hook ups for them but the condo didn't come with the actual appliance. Annoying!! So we have to get our own, and not just the cheaper side by sides, we have to get a stackable unit and they are way more expensive! So... if anybody knows of anyone getting rid of some or where to find a good deal, please let me know! The past two months I've been hauling our dirty clothes to either Natalie's or Oakley's and they both live on the third floor. My scrawny arms weren't made for heavy lifting and I stuff the suit case full of enough clothes to feel like a small car. I'm at Oaks right now waiting for clothes to dry and swearing this is the last time!! So if you see Justin or I and we smell, you'll know we still don't have a washer and dryer and I gave up on using other people for theirs.

Football and pumpkin carving

2008-10-21T09:02:00.000-07:00

Last week Justin and I went over to David and Natalie's to watch the BYU/TCU football game. Natalie and I agreed we weren't in the mood to sit and watch a four hour football game and decided to carve pumpkins at the same time. David didn't get home from school until the game was almost over and Justin sat on the couch glued to the TV yelling at it in frustration because BYU wasn't having a good night at all. TCU won. Luckily "The Office" was on and helped lighten the mood. We love that show. Here are some pictures of our pumpkins...

Wake Boarding

2008-10-15T05:52:00.000-07:00

The day after Melissa and Mikes wedding, Justin and I drove down to Sonora to visit his parents. While we were there we decided to go out on the boat one last time before the summer ends. The water was cold but we had a lot of fun! Justin's dad was a good sport to take us out and drive us around.

We also took the bug out on the town. Justin built this with his dad and brothers growing up. It was fun to ride around in.

Melissa and Mike

2008-10-14T09:10:00.000-07:00

Justin and I went to California a couple weeks ago for my cousin Melissa's wedding. It was fun seeing all my family again even though we just saw them in August for our wedding. They got married the same place Justin and I got married so it was fun to be back. Melissa and I are only two days apart and grew up very close. Kinda funny that we got married so close together too!! She and Mike Looked great. The wedding was beautiful and the reception that night was tons of fun! Congrats Melissa and Mike!

SOFTBALL WIN!!!

2008-10-14T08:49:00.000-07:00

Justin's office joined a softball league this past season and took home the gold... or T-shirts. They won by one point thanks to JUSTIN! He caught the ball in right field and got the other team their last out. It was fun to watch them play every week in the stands eating sunflower seeds and screaming encouragement.

GOOD JOB GUYS!

Our new place...

2008-10-07T09:28:00.000-07:00

Before we got married we did what everyone has to do... find somewhere to live. We got lucky and found a place we love! One of our favorite parts about our apartment are the windows. We are on the corner of the building so we have a lot of windows that look out at the mountains and the downtown area. Its really pretty.

The downside of our place is the lack of storage. Between all the guitars, guns, books and Justin's toys... there just isn't enough room for everything. My aunt and uncle knew we needed furniture to put stuff in and gave us an old dresser and a desk. The furniture had belonged to my aunts grandma and were in desperate need of some fixing up so Justin took both pieces over to his friends house (thanks Craig) and used his garage to sand the furniture down and re-finish them. They look brand spankin' new and are already full. Here are some pictures of the furniture before and after...

I wish we had some pictures of what the furniture looked like before he sanded them down.

Justin came home covered in sawdust every night. It got all over!

It was quite a project but luckily Jus likes to do this kind of stuff and he did a great job!!!

The Honeymoon

2008-10-06T09:32:00.001-07:00

The Honeymoon was great! We went to the Cayman Islands and it was beautiful. We had to leave a day early because Hurricane Gustav was coming, but other than that we had a blast. We stayed at a resort our family friend Omar sent us to called The Reef. We had our own kitchen, dining room, living room and everything. It was great because everything there was so expensive we were able to do a lot of our own cooking. We did quite a bit of snorkeling and got to go to a place called Stingray City and swam with stingrays. I was a little freaked out. Im not a huge fan of sea animals. Justin is though and he warmed me up to it. It was more fun than I thought. Now he is talking about scuba diving sometime and I say no way! I'll stick to snorkeling. We also went to some fun beaches and got some sun, took a trip to the Pirate Caves (kinda looked like they threw a bunch of halloween decorations down there), and did some fun shopping in the city. We would love to go back someday!

The Reef Hotel

Riding the "Buccaneer" to Stingray City

Justin ready to Snorkel!

In the water with the Stingrays!!

After eating breakfast on our balcony

Married

2008-09-24T11:28:00.000-07:00

Well we did it! The time went by so fast and we are now Mr. and Mrs. Smith. Feels great. The wedding was perfect. Kinda crazy but but thats expected. I was late to the temple because our car wouldn't start. Justin was there waiting and probably wondering if I changed my mind! It feels funny waking up knowing you're getting married that day. The day FLIES by too.

I went out to California August 1st to help get everything ready for the big day. Justin came out two weeks later and was put to work as well. My parents worked so hard to have the yard done in time for the reception that night and it was... at 7:00. It looked great. :)

Thank you to all our family and friends who came to celebrate with us! We love you all so much.

Here we are right after coming out of the Sacramento Temple. Married 10 minutes!

2008-07-13T20:20:00.000-07:00

I'm in love, I'm in love and I don't care who knows it!!! This love is officially now going somewhere. August 22nd is quickly on it's way and we are very excited.

2007-04-16T11:54:00.000-07:00

A little end of the season skiing a few weeks ago with pops at The Canyons in Park City. No idea why I wore a jacket. It was like 45-50 degrees on the mountain, but still not too bad for a few runs in the park.

Swim, bike, run.

2007-04-15T19:51:00.000-07:00

Tired and sweaty, here we are at the end of the 4th street triathlon in Salt Lake. The MOUNTAIN bike portion was no exaggeration. 8 miles up the hills behind the U. (thnx for the bikes Steve and Noel) Over all it was actually a really short and relatively easy triathlon. All in all a fun experience and good preparation for an Ironman at some point in life. (wishful thinking...)

Aren't they precious.

2007-04-11T00:58:00.000-07:00

A healthy, well-fed, pure-bred boxer with shots/papers etc. in the street shops of Rosarito Beach, Mexico. I couldn't believe it either. Before thinking over the logistics of trying to get it across the border, she of course was ready and willing to spend my money on the little guy.

Las bellas artes

2007-04-08T13:53:00.000-07:00

A couple examples of our attempt at tapping into our hidden artistic ability. Look out Rembrandt. Both acrylic on canvas. Christiana's is on top, mine on bottom.

Jesus, rabbits, eggs and candy?

2007-04-08T13:17:00.000-07:00

Bunny Day is here. Although I hate hard-boiled eggs, they seem to always abound...even being away from home at school. To this day I still have no idea how the celebration of Christ's resurrection evolved into the theme of a man-sized rabbit who leaves candy and hides colorful eggs, from a chicken none the less. Happy Easter all. Time for the hunt!

Muralla Mexicana

2007-04-07T00:42:00.000-07:00

Here's a little mural we had some fun with while painting a school down in Mexico as a service project last weekend, as well as some other photos from the trip. Heaps of fun.

We + dog

2007-04-06T12:22:00.001-07:00

Thus it begins....

2007-04-06T11:53:00.000-07:00

Thus begins our blogging experience. Feeling that online, personal interaction, apart from email, has erupted into an adolescent, woe-is-me, emotional pit of demise...myspace and the like, (sorry Tom) or an excuse to spend hours on end finding others loathing themselves or trying to bolster their morale with the most friends they've never met, we have evolved to the much more worthwhile and positive world of blogging. Here we are. Let's blog!