Our Thanksgiving Trip

We took a trip to Arizona and California for Thanksgiving. It was a super adventure to say the least. Cassie and I flew out with all of the kids first because Drew and TJ still had school. The kids did so great in the airport and the plane. We stayed a couple of days with Papa and Grandma Rubalcava before we picked up the boys and headed out to California.

We stayed 4 days in California doing Disneyland and Knottsberry Farm. It was super crazy but super fun. Both places were packed but we still tried to fit in as many rides as we could. Disneyland was beautiful because it was decorated for Christmas. We also got to see the World of Color show in the pouring rain. We were totally soaked to the bone by the time it was over but it was fantastic. The kids got to see all kinds of characters and ride most of the rides cause they were tall enough this year. I sat out with the babies most of the time but I still had a great time.

When we came back to AZ we stayed a couple of days with Klint and Corinne. The kids had so much fun playing with cousins and the dog. Papa and Grandma Webb came to see us and so did Rich and Liesl and Joele. It was great to catch up and visit. We are glad they put up with all of us. The adventure back through the airport was not quite as smooth. 2 moms going through the airport with with 6 kids, 5 car seats, 4 suitcases, and 2 strollers is something I would definitely not recommend, but we survived it and were glad to be home. It was a wonderful Thanksgiving and we were so Thankful we got to go.

Ranan and Topher being friends.

Ranan and Topher not being friends

Mickey Mouse pancakes from Papa.

Silly boys

Glad Uncle Alecc was home from his mission

All ready to go to Disneyland

The first ride of the trip

Maura driving her own car...she giggled the whole entire time.

Thehighlight of the trip for the boys

The whole family

So pretty

The one ride Topher and Ranan got to ride at Knotts.

Getting soaked

Rock climbing

Timmy finding out what his totem was

Brother Bear

Papa and Grandma Webb with the kids

Maura decided to play Avatar in the back yard and covered herself in blue chalk....silly girl.

2nd grade project

Timmy had to do a project on Native Americans for his class and we decided that we would make tools that they used so we made a mortar and pestle, an arrow head and a tomahawk. They turned out pretty good for a mom and a second grader with a little paper mache and paint. Timmy was involved with every step and did most of the work. He was very proud of the finished product.

Maura's New Specs

Well our little Maura had to get glasses. She failed eye exams at the pediatrician's office and at school so we took her in to see an eye doctor. He told us that she has an astigmatism in both of her eyes and that she needs wear glasses all of the time. On the way home from picking up her glasses she asked me "what are those lines coming out of the poles?" I couldn't believe that she was just noticing power lines after all of these years. I feel bad that I didn't notice that she needed glasses earlier.

So far she has been very responsible about putting them in her case at night and being a little more careful when she plays so they don't break. She is very excited to have them and her teacher made a big deal about how great she looked in them so she would continue be excited about wearing them. I thinks she looks great too and I'm glad that she will be able to see everything better too. Love you Maura!

Happy Halloween

Happy Halloween! We hope you had as good of a Halloween as we did. Here are pictures of all the festivites.

Timmy as Luigi

Maura as Supergirl

Topher as "Doody" I mean Woody. (That's what Topher calls him)

Carving pumpkins

Maura's Halloween parade at school

Timmy and Topher at Timmy class party.

Getting ready to go get some candy.

Grandma and Grandpa with the Jeep's package came!

All of my little vampires.

A visit from the Webbs

We had a visit from Klint, Corinne, Jameson, and Alex a few weeks ago and we had a really good time. The first few days we just about killed ourselves with all of the touring we did, but it was fun showing them around. We went to Palmyra and the Falls and relaxed and played the rest of the time. It was great to catch up. The kids were so sad when their cousins had to leave. They are still telling me how much they miss them. Thanks for coming guys!

Getting ready to go into the visitor's center

It doesn't get much prettier than this view.

All of the kids except for Taya.

Timmy and Topher really wanted to have a picture in front of the Temple.

All of us in the Smith home. We sang I Am a Child of God and even the two year olds joined in.

I loved these two pics of the boys watching the stream.

The kiddos watching the Falls.

It's a................

GIRL!!!!!

I am 20 weeks pregnant with a little girl. All of us are very excited, especially the kids. They really wanted a sister. She is due March 3rd...we can't wait!

Primary Talent Show

Our ward had a little talent show for all of the primary kids. They could get up on stage to do a talent or they could display artwork etc. on tables around the room. Timmy decided he wanted to build a really cool lego airplane. He worked really hard on it for about 2.5 days. It was a hit when we got there. All of the little boys thought it was awesome. I was proud of him.

Maura and Jada decided they wanted to sing a song for their talent. I was worried they might get stage fright and not want to do it, but they did great and they were so cute. They weren't very close to the microphone so it might be a little hard to hear, but they did great!

First Day of School!

The first day of school finally came on Sept. 8th! I was so excited for it to start but so were they. Timmy started 2nd grade and Maura started all day Kindergarten. Maura was so excited about riding the bus with Timmy and Jada and about taking her lunch to school to eat in the cafeteria. It was a big day for her. Timmy wasn't quite as excited to started 2nd grade because he thought there wouldn't be anymore fun in school anymore. When he got off the bus though, he said "2nd grade wasn't as bad as he thought it was going to be!" I had to laugh. Maura said her day was "perfect!" Then the next day she said that "it was more perfect than the day before!" Needless to say, she loves it.

Topher was just as excited to get ready for school as they were. Too bad he had to stay home with mom.

Timmy

Maura

The three amigos

Happily waiting for the bus.

On their way!

Topher was heart broken that he didn't get to go. He told me (with big tears rolling down his face), "they yeeve (leave) me!" He was one sad boy.