She's a 10!

Talie has made it to the double digits! When I was a kid, when you turned 10, you were a BIG kid. So now we have a BIG kid in our house! Talie is very independent and planned this party on her own. She specifically wanted her party on her REAL birthday (pheww, only one party day=). She made cute little apron invitations and had a Cooking Birthday Party. She is our new, very talented, family cook and LOVES it! (so does Mom.) Talie is blessed to have a great group of friends and they came over and designed aprons, gobbled pizza, and frosted and devoured cupcakes. We were even lucky enough to have a friend from Carolina that moved to Longmont, CO drive all the way down to be here for it. Thanks Savannah! ( and Lori and Jacob!).

So now, not only is she a 10, but she is 10 as well!

Just awaiting pictures. Someone borrowed my camera that day, and we had to use Kim's phone (thanks Kim), now we're just waiting to down load them.

The Slugger

Dallin played his 3rd year of baseball this year, but his 1st season of modified kid pitch. Nothing is more fun than watching your kid work hard at something and do good! Dallin even got to pitch one game, and received the MVP ball that game for pitching and for hitting two great hits. It did get a little hot some days, but I've never enjoyed watching baseball before this.

Dallin, so focused on the hitter, awaiting his next move.

Nice form, buddy! An action shot of a sometimes not so active game (no offense, baseball lovers=).

Since Dallin played soccer this year, I guess I'm officially a soccer mom. - You can tell I'm not used to the bright Colorado sun yet, I push my sun glasses up and then forget that I have them on.

And she's OFF!

Today we took Kennedi to the doctor, and she is only 15lbs. at 9months. This leaves her in the 60th% for height and 5th% for weight (which is unheard of with our kiddos). When the doctor and I discussed whether or not we should be concerned, she said, "Well maybe she'll be tall and skinny like you." I laughed and told her that she was the first person that had ever called me tall=). Even though being tall is not a matter of opinion, It still brightened my day.


Well Kennedi is officially crawling! At 9 months, she has been scooting around and pulling herself up to a standing position for about a month now, but has just mastered the art of crawling within the last couple of days! Sunday, she crawled over to me as I was working in the kitchen, and she discovered a stray chocolate chip abandoned by an older sibling. Aaahh, the joys of freedom!

When Kennedi wants something, she turns her mouth into a circle, saying, "ooh, ooh", and twists her wrist back and forth.
Whenever Kennedi pulls herself up to stand, a HUGE grin fills her face, and she gives a giggle of pride. Soo cute.
One of Kennedi's many new hobbies since taking up crawling: dumping the baskets off of the changing table and tearing the clothes out one by one. Now she and Peyton are partners in crime.

Back to School . . . Already

The kids started back to school on the 8th of August. We switched from year-round school to a modified tradition schedule. They were excite to start, and I have to admit, I wasn't crying either=). We had a fun summer, but they seem to need a little more structure than I give at home. I just can't believe how fast they're growing up!

Talie:
Started 5th grade this year - She can't be that OLD! She has Miss Williams, who will be getting married this year. The last three years, Talie's teachers have either gotten engaged or married, I guess she's good luck. Talie is great at making and being a good friend; on the first day of school, she came home saying she made a best friend already!


Dallin:
Is going into the 3rd grade and has Mrs. Stone again. When he tells people that he has Mrs. Stone again, he always adds that she moved up to the 3rd grade, specifying that he was not held back.He loves Math and although you'd never guess it at home (we love you Dallin), he is extremely polite, respectful and a very hard worker.
The bandage on his arm is not the new style, but the day before, he fell off the wrong end of the swing and landed on it - thought for sure it was broken, but it seems to work just fine.



Ashlynn:
Started kindergarten this year with Mrs. Harris. She goes in the morning for a half day, and is loving it! She is the second oldest kid in her class, and seems to enjoy that. She has about 4 kids from the ward in her class, and informed them on the first day that she would play with them later, but right now she wanted to make some new friends. That's Ashlynn - never afraid to say it like it is. She also stated that she didn't have a boyfriend because she is already going to marry Owen Packham- so no need for a boyfriend.


We are glad Ashy is only at half-day kindergarten, otherwise Peyton would miss her like crazy!


Peyton:
Although I'm left at home with only two kids for half a day, I don't have time to be bored. Peyton is busy making messes faster than I can clean them, but if I step out of the moment, I can laugh at his little quarks. I decided that he does seem so busy because Talie, Dallin and Ashlynn aren't around to entertain him

Peyton's first time climbing a tree - he took to it quite naturally - I always knew he was a little monkey.


Kennedi:
Is my little angel. She is such a good baby, and I'm grateful for that, other wise I think I would have gone insane about 8 months ago. She still isn't crawling, but somehow I'll look over at her and she has moved about 5 feet - still in a sitting position. I ask her, "How did you get over here?" And she just gives me a little mischievious grin. My guess is that she enjoys a little less chaos with the older ones gone, but I don't think she notices much of a difference with her noisy, bully brother still around.

The Smith's Nine Lives!

The day after the 4th, we loaded up and drove to Idaho to visit family. We got To Sugar City late Saturday night, went to church and did the typical Sunday things. Monday we met up with Laura and Nate and Katie at the Splash park and the kids played and stayed cool. Then we went with Nate and Katie to bridge jump, but the water was too high and swift so we decided to not risk our lives, and went to a sand bar instead. While there, Benson took Dallin and Ashlynn to another area to dive, and I stayed in the wading area with the others. Peyton decided to climb up the stairs, and after handing Kennedi over to Katie, I ran up the steps in time to see Peyton climbing in the top of a water slide (no life guards on duty). Afraid that I'd land on him if I slid down after him, I booked it down the stairs and ran (fully dressed) into the lake where he is bobbing up and down. Luckily he was fine, just a little scared. I wrapped him in a towel and settled him down, just in time to look up and see the chain, separating the wading area from the swift water - leading to a waterfall, break and start to float off in the current, with Talie hanging on. Still fully dressed, I ran/swam and pulled her back to the shallow area.
The Kiddo's at the Splash Park.


On Wednesday, we got to hang out with Matt and Lindsay as well, and then to start off Benson's family reunion,we went floating down the snake river with 10 little ones. There were some tip overs, and a traffic jam into a tree on top of poor Shannon, but after Bart and Benson pulled us out, all was well.

Thursday we decided to go 4-wheeling down an old favorite trail. After Benson did a backwards somersault off the back of the trailer (while still on a 4 wheeler), Kennedi and I pulled a double Evil Kenevil (forward somersault) on our 4 wheeler, and Talie tipped sideways, we called it a day. The worst of the 4-wheeler injuries
(photographed by Talie herself=)


Friday, we decided to play it a little safer and went fishing first thing in the morning, and then drove to Jackson Hole to go swimming.

With the help of the Master Fisherman, we ALL caught a fish!

All in all, it was a fun trip, and we were grateful to arrive home safely.