A Violent Christmas and a Bloody New Year to You Too!!!!!!!!

As you can see Santa brought havoc and destruction to our household this Christmas. But, with proper use of the "force", we'll hopefully manage without too much bloodshed.

Xander and Niko were given a lazer tag game - so, they can hone their battle skills without actually killing each other. They have their fists, rocks, and stones to perform the the actual killings.

Boys will most definitely be boys!!!!!!!!




And what would lazer tag be without Jedi Knight robes (thanks to G-Ma Olson) and light sabers (not savers)? As you can see from the pic, Niko is a very wise and well-trained Padowan. Let's just hope he doesn't turn out to be a Sith Lord. I wouldn't put it past him though - as he's a devil disquised as an angel.

Christmas Ornament Tradition

This is Ella, caught in the act...

The act of what you may ask? Destroying another computer mouse....

Ella, even at 6 months old, is terribly attracted to technology.... and has already broken two computer mouses.

What in the world does this have to do with Christmas ornaments? Well... that very mouse is going to be her ornament to remind us of this year. We've actually attempted to find a "technology" ornament at the local department stores... but were unsuccessful... and why spend money on a perfectly good, non-working mouse when we happen to already have one.

P.S. Niko has received an Angel this year... we were actually looking for a devil because he is often a little devil disquised as an Angel. For example, when I ask him to do a chore or help out, he asks, "Mom, are you going to check?" What a coniver!"

Xander has received a soccer ball, which is obviously becuase he plays soccer, loves soccer, can't wait to play again, and seems pretty decent at playing.

Ann got a "DIVA" ornament. I'm going to have to look up the actual definition of DIVA... but for her she LOVES pink, nail polish, dressing up, matching her clothes and makeup! She is all girl... which is really interesting because I have no time for fashion or nail polish and I'm lucky to get makeup on a few times a week.

December 17th! A day to remember!

I know I should be posting cute pictures of my children playing in the snow... but that happened the next day and I wasn't sure the snow would last that long in Las Vegas!

For the record it took us two hours to get from Dream Dinners to our house...normally an 11-15 minute adventure.

We go a solid 10+inches in our yard on December 17th! This is the back yard (obviously). The kids played all day on the 18th. Happy Birthday Xander!

To Party or Not to Party...

This is really a question at our house.

This year Xander turns 7. And he really wanted a birthday party with his friends. I attempted to dissuade him from the party... or maybe it could be a party but that each friend would bring a gift which we would donate to a needy family or orphanage, or that he could invite one or two friends to go golfing or something.

So after many, many, many conversations... Xander convinced us that he could have a friends party, and that he would plan it.

His first iteration was a list of twenty some-odd friends (pretty good for a homeschooler)... and some amazing (and very expensive) activities... race car driving, bowling, golfing, soccer game, basketball game, egg relay race, pie eating contest, treasure hunt... and a few more I am sure I have forgotten...

When reality struck (after a conversation with me, mom) we paired the list down to 13 kids and some low-budget indoor & outdoor games.

When the day of the party arrived (the morning after the ward Christmas dinner party we were in charge of, where we fed 230 people, without any help except one person on our committee, ... it was basically like catering a huge party, except we didn't get paid... kind of like working at Dream Dinners... Wait a minute... It was just like working at Dream Dinners... we never get paid... at least at the ward party we get reimbursed... Okay back to Xander's Party), all 13 came bounding in with the energy of 13 tornadoes in the small space of our first floor. (Of course the day was 40 degrees and windy, so any hope of outdoor activities was crushed.)

Stan, Grandma Smith and I, entertained these wound up kids with several party games like Balloon Popping Challenge, Simon Says, Whip Cream Eating Contest, Snowman Making Contest, Snow Fights, and a Rock'n Dance Off! What a day!

The only consolation of the morning was that Anna was entertained by Grandpa Smith over breakfast at Uncle Chris's house.

When we asked Xander about the success of his party, compared to several of his friends' recent parties he said, "I think they had fun because there was a lot of screaming & yelling, which they don't do at other people's houses."

Why can't I have a quite party like that?

Thanksgiving 2008

Check out our 4 minute movie at the beach!

Thanksgiving 2008

Thanksgiving 2008

Thanksgiving 2008

We visited Stan's Aunt Suz in Moreno Valley, CA, complete with 3 beach stops, a big turkey dinner and the sights and sounds of San Diego and Coronado Island.

All I want for Christmas is my TWO FRONT TEETH!

Recently Xander has lost his two front teeth... which brings many challanges as he is learning to read & spell.

Xander is trying to say his "th" sounds but it never quite works.

On another relevant topic: The tooth fairy at our house never quite has it together. I am not sure that he/she has ever been ontime and Xander usually has to wait a day or two before the prize is given. But better late than never, as the saying goes.

HandiCappers BEWARE!

So, Xander & Niko found a wheel chair in the desert... WATCH OUT!

They love screaming down the street, as fast as the bents wheels will allow. Even with the brake (that actually works), it takes a good 30 feet for the contraption to stop. Now I understand the meaning of "Break neck speed!"

Ella - Hmmm, with no nickname yet!

In our family, as in most I'm sure, our kids always have some nickname. A demonstration of love, in fact, the more nicknames you have the more loved you may be. So what about Ella?

Anna has: Annabella, BelaRus, Rus, SwissMiss

Niklas has: Niko, Piko, Pickle, PicodeGayo, NikoSuave

Alexander has: Xander, Xandoff, XanderMander, Commander Xander, Xanadoo

Stan has always been Stan the Man, StanO, Babe

And Me? Aim, Amaherst, Amers, Mom, Stupid (the last are lovingly from the kids)

So far, Ella is just Ella; Her actual name is Elizabeth but we have always affectionately called her Ella... I am sure we will.

(Stan just commented, "Her name can be EllaRus, because she is not a "B" like Anna") Hmmm... I think not!

Soccer Season Here We Come!

It's soccer season! A first for us! I am of the philosophy that children should be children as long as they can... at our house this means they get to play in the desert across the street, making swords & guns out of rocks & sticks; and finding burried treasure in the mounds of dirt left from the construction work.

So finally in his seventh year soccer life for Alexander begins & he's a star! I thought he may be frightfully shy like he is in primary sharing time when they call on him; but to my surprise he LOVES soccer. It's just as if he's playing in the yard with all his friends. He has even scored 2 goals in his two games! Ronaldinho watch out!

A Hunting We Will Go!

It has been a long time Smith Family tradition to go hunting every August...

There have actually been very few deer caught (I'm told you don't catch deer but you shoot them), but the tradition continues nontheless.

I have many childhood memories playing in the woods & hunting with my dad.

So this year Stan (although not a hunter) decided to attend & take Xander along for the annual deer hunt. Grandpa Travis & Uncle Aaron led the hunt. Luckily, Xander wasn't lost in the woods (we were actually more worried about Stan), and everyone made it home safely.

Schools Back In!

With summer winding down & all the neighborhood kids boarding the school bus, we officially started school again. Although the summer break was short (a mere three weeks off the Olson Family School) I have been pleasantly surprised that Alexander remembered his reading skills & number placement in Math (its surprising how similar seventy & seventeen sound when you are six years old), and Perpetual Motion in D Major on violin (a song we have been practicing for most of the summer... well the entire summer).

Nikls & Anna are not quite as enthusiastic, when I offered (and began) to read a story to them, they decided they would much rather play with kinects.

For now school consists mostly of scripture study, reading (a lot of reading), math, violin, history (my favorite) and soccer (Xander's favorite). While learning can be a blast, Xander seems particularily motivated by soccer. And I have been found to threaten missing soccer practice if the more important things (to me) aren't complete. This motivation works best when it comes to practicing violin.

Our timeline comes in handy no matter what we learn about. I'm not sure if Xander gets it... but as time goes by I am sure he will.

Fourth of July Fun!

Fourth of July was a blast! We enjoyed the cooler weather of Utah & the Highland Hidden Oaks neighborhood parade & breakfast. Niko, siblings & cousins were celebraties in the annual parade. This year Alexander mustered up his courage to participate in the races & tug-o-war. For the evening celebration we enjoyed a bbq at the Olson's. Fireworks were certainly a highlight for the kids.

The fish? You are wondering? This was a brook trout that Xander was determined to catch! He followed this trout for over an hour in a nearby dried up snow run-off wash (does that even make sense?). The threw rocks, boulders, sticks... and finally the fish was worn out & Xander was able to catch it. He brought it home, killed it & ate it. I think he really liked it. And it was surprisingly tastey.

My First Blog

I will write lots of stuff...later.