Spring Break 2008!!

Spring Violin Concerts

I figured it was about time that I sat down and updated my journal. I don't scrapbook so I figure this is close enough. I think it has been a year since Shauna got me and the rest of our neighborhood blogging - I just love looking back at past blogs. I would never have this history if I didn't have the Poynter Times to blog on. April started out busy with a Northridge School Orechestra Concert - there were 2 day time performances and 1 night performance at Oak Canyon Junior High. I'm stil so impressed and amazed at the talent Mr. Huish with his orchestra. Unbelieveable!!! They played many different songs - Lion King, Tarzan, Stars and Stripes and my favorite Cannon in D. After my niece Kristine went to the Christmas concert in December she decided she wanted to play the Cello. The girls have had a great time being in Orchestra together - Kristine was also asked to sing a solo with the orchestra. She was amazing!! It is fun to see these little girls grow up and develop different talents. After this concert Emily has decided that she would rather play the flute. So she is starting flute lessons next week. No more Violin for Emily - I think she is pretty happy about that. So all the girls can have an orchestra of their own - flute, cello, violin. Kind of FUN!!

Just before Springbreak the girls had their Solo Recital. I was a little nervous for both of them - everything turned out just fine. Both Megan and Emily did a great job on their songs!! Yipee!! We haven't practiced the violin or piano for 2 weeks, I think the girls and their mommy needed a break. We will get going again next week.

Small & Simple Things

A Few weeks ago I had the opportunity to speak in Sacrament meeting. While preparing this talk many of the gospel principles became more clear to me. I have continued to study - this time with more meaning and with more understanding. It is so exciting to feel this peace in my heart. Although I still have much to learn it is wonderful to have this knowledge. General Conference this weekend has been such a great experience - spiritually enlightening. I thought I would share some of my talk - in the process of preparing this talk I had many experiences that taught me. I would like to start by telling you a little bit about the home I was raised in. It is a small, simple farm house – making up only about 900 square feet. It has 3 small bedrooms, each close to the size of the walk-in closet we have now. We had a nice size living room and kitchen and a very small bathroom and a hall. There were 6 kids in our family, and as you might guess, the three oldest and my parents got bedrooms, while the three youngest did not. My younger sister and I would pull out the couch each night, while my sister Tania would take the cushions we removed and sleep on those. There was a stove in the living room that we would gather around to get warm and just talk as a family. I have many fond memories – even though the arrangements were pretty simple.

A few weeks ago I traveled home to Canada for my nephew’s baptism. I attented church in my old ward - almost feeling a little envious that my brother was raising his 5 children in the same simple farm house. I thought for awhile – I am who I am today because of that little house. This is the house where my parents taught me many of life’s lessons - I gained my testimony, learned to love the gospel, gained a deep understanding of the importance of family and relationships. I thought, “How can I have the success my parents had without that little house.” Perhaps my little house could be used as an object lesson. Through small and simple things, great things can come to pass.
The Lord occasionally gives us trials to accelerate our progress! We are all blessed with trials – each of us struggle in one thing or another. Trials are given to make us better, refine us to help us reach our divine potential and become more like our savior Jesus Christ.

A little over a year ago doctors told us that we had less than a 1% chance of having more children. Although I still believe in miracles, this was devastating to me and I have searched and pondered to find answers and peace. I have gone to see many natural clinics, had my blood tested, taken a variety of vitamins, tried different ways of eating and various exercises. If the book or web site said that it would improve infertility, I did it.

Ultimately though, I have learned to rely on the Lord. I have come to understand that having another baby may or may not be part of His plan. I know He is in charge and if it is part of His plan, it will happen. Along the way, I have also learned to have a little more compassion for others – one of those being my older sister Tania.

In September 2006, Tania got married to a wonderful man at 35 years old. To their excitement, within a few months of their marriage, she got pregnant. The day before her due date, I met her at the hospital just as she was getting wheeled in, overjoyed to be having her first baby. The nurses started their routine of checking the baby’s heart beat, but they could not find one. Their baby had passed on just hours before her contractions started. Tania delivered her baby still born. This precious baby brought us closer to Christ and reminded us once again of the importance of small and simple things.

The Savior said, “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28).

Sometimes we have the tendency to think that the more serious the problem, the bigger and more complex the solution should be. If we will think of the scripture Alma 37:6 “that by small and simple things are great things brought to pass. I know now that it was not my small and simple house that taught me – it was the simple principles of the gospel that were taught in our home.

I hope that we can remember the resurrection and the power of the atonement. There have been many times through the past few years that I have felt the healing power of the Atonement. I know that we will be given the strength to bear our burdens and draw closer to the lord.

Smith Family Farm 2008

Easter Celebrations!

Easter is such a special time it is like a renewal of life. We see new plants come up and want to start new on different things in our life. This year included all the traditional activities like coloring Easter Eggs, Easter Egg Hunt and of course the Traditional New Easter Dress. One defining moment that our family had this year was learning that the Easter Bunny is not real. We have been saving money for a Spring Break trip to LA to a visit to the American Girl Store and a day at Disneyland. The girls have been involved in the budgeting and have earned money for the trip. In the budget I had only $10 for their Easter basket - a little different than years past when there was no budget. Well on Easter morning the girls were disappointed in what the got in their baskets. (spoiled little brats - mostly my fault, I had given them too much in the past) Emily went to her room and shut the door - later she slipped a note under the door saying "I'm not coming out of my room for the rest of my life.... P.S. I might have liked these gifts when I was 5 years old but not when I'm 8." At that point Sean felt it important to share the little secret. He explained that it was Mommy that filled the baskets and only had a certain amount of money. The girls felt very sad and apologized for acting so ungrateful. The lesson I learned was not to give your kids to much to soon. Wow quite a day! But it was good for our family to learn this lesson. It also gave us another opportunity to focus on the real meaning of Easter. The day ended by the girls TOTALLY looking forward to next Easter. Now that they are in on the secret, they can't wait to play Easter Bunny themselves!

The Leprechaun Trap!

This year the girls homework assignment for about 2 weeks was to create a Leprechaun Trap. They love to cut, paste, tape, color, paint and make a mess. In the end both Megan and Emily ended up with great traps that they did all on their own. They said that this was one of their favorite holidays. Kind of FUN!!

A Little Time Away from Home....

The Children's Club Show at the Javits Center in New York

I think that it has been about 6 years that Mom and I started going to New York. Our first trip was the October after the September 11 Events. It is always fun to get away and experience the City. Of course there is work involved - we help mom haul all the suitcases down to the Javits about 1 1/2 miles from our hotel. We used to walk and drag the suit cases and any other miscellaneous racks, photos, bags we needed for the booth because we did not want to spent the money on a cab. Now we have it down to a science - take a cab and go early to set up - the booth is set up within 2 hours. Unlike our usual 4-6 hours of setting up. Oh the things we do - it's all about learning to simplifying. It is fun to work with Mom - she is a definite business women. Also this is the Trade Show that I get myself into too much trouble - ordering dresses for the girls at the beautiful dress companies for wholesale. I figure they are only little girls once!
After we set up there is always time to head down to China Town - one of my favorites. There are certain vendors we go to every time - each serving a purpose, sunglasses, purses, jewelery. This is a picture of our purse Lady - Mimi, she is the only one that we will buy purses from. She has the best ones at the greatest prices. It is so funny because I will call her when we get down there and she says meet me at the corner of Broadway and Canal. She gives my mom a hug each time and just says How are you? about 5-6 times. It is a long walk up the stairs and a definite experience. It is so much fun because Katie has joined us on a consistent basis and she just loves to shop. We are always looking for the closest ATM. After each day we pull out our days purchases and have a little fashion show. Too much fun!!!

Special Times

The girls and I made a quick trip up to Canada this weekend. It was a long 13 hour drive but totally worth the trip and so fun to be on the farm and play with cousins even if it was for 1 day. The girls did get to play in the Haystacks - it was a little to cold to catch any frogs though. Actually we there all day Saturday and Sunday. My Nephew Walker was baptised and Sterling was ordained a Decon. It was a pretty special weekend for these boys and I was very grateful to share it with them.

It is hard to believe my brother Derrek has 5 kids. Sean & I got married the same year Derrek and Debbie did - Sterling was a definate honeymoon baby. And he is the cutest kid ever - actually he is getting quite grown up. They live on the farm in the same house that I grew up in. Secretly I'm a little jealous because these kids are experiencing the same wonderful childhood I had. They are involved in all the same things we did as children in the school and community. Very fun to see and hear about. The girls had a sleepover with Ashlynne at Grandma's 2 of the 3 nights. Ashlynne loves it when there is a little more GIRL POWER - since she has 4 other brothers.

Walker is just 2 months younger than the girls so they will be best of friends when they get older. He is just the cutest little boy - he sang a solo for his baptism and it was just perfect. I do feel a little sorry because all the cousins his age are girls. Kristine found this fur Jacket in Auntie Tania's closet and thought it was the coolest. She wanted to bring it home but of course we said you better ask Tania. We had a wonderful trip with great food - you just can't go wrong with my Mom's Sunday Dinner - Roast Beef. It was fun just hanging out on the farm with my family and not having any worries or anywhere to go.