Ward Family

The Princess' Cake Incident

2012-01-22T09:07:00.001-08:00

Laura worked for days on this beautiful cake for Aparri's birthday...researching the idea, finding the doll, freezing the cake, and then the construction....and it turned out beautiful!! Aparri loved her cake! She smiled, pointed, and adored her doll cake.... well, after it was finished, we all headed off to have some fun - and as we were exiting the house - the doll...well, who said that toy story wasn't real...because we swear - the doll wanted to go for a swim - she literally jumped out of the cake and into the sink of water below her! Bye bye cake....at least we got a few snap shots of it before the big dive!!! There was enough cake left to salvage a small cake for blowing out the candles and a piece for everyone to enjoy...so ...after all is said and done...Aparri is little enough that she wasn't too tramatized that her cake was destroyed.....but went on smiling the rest of the day!! (We can't say the same for Laura.....) Just kidding...she was a good sport and laughed it off...what else can you do?

Aparri is 2

2012-01-22T08:56:00.001-08:00

Grandma and Papa were able to be here to celebrate Aparri's big 2 with us! All the girls wore princess crowns and Aparri wore the tutu...Aparri loved opening presents and was soooo excited about each and every gift that she opened!!! Aparri is such a sweet little girl, and happy all the time (ok...most of the time). We love you Aparri!

Valley of Fire

2012-01-22T08:50:00.001-08:00

We took an afternoon and went exploring to the Valley of Fire State Park...and WOW...it was truly amazing. We spent about 4 hours there and we easily could have spent DAYs there. We just barely scraped the surface of what there is to see!! It is the perfect place for a family...the kids can run around and play, explore, climb, hike, and be outside in the beautiful sunshine....however, we found out the hard way, that as soon as the sun goes down....all that rock cools down rather quickly...and when you are in the middle of a hike...there is only one way in and one way out - so to get warm, you just have to keep going until you make it back to the car!!! We know there are a lot of pictures...but, you should be grateful - we didn't even post ALL of them!!!!

Shootin' with the Grandparents

2012-01-22T08:01:00.000-08:00

CJ, Preston, and Aparri were excited to go shooting with Grandma and Papa and show them their skills!!! Grandma and Papa have some pretty good skills too!!! We shot up the mountain...literally, I think we went through 500+ bullets !!! We all chose our favorite weapon of choice and showed off our skills...we all took turns getting spot on the target and getting a hit! Yipee.. We finished off the trip with a bucket of KFC chicken.....a job well done!!

Picnic with Grandma

2012-01-21T10:53:00.000-08:00

Look who's cookin'! Aparri, CJ, and Preston are in the kitchen and cooking a wonderful plastic meal for Grandma!!!!

Christmas Eve Traditions

2012-01-18T15:30:00.000-08:00

As tradition holds...we made cinnamon rolls for our Christmas Day Breakfast..the boys played a key role in the making of them this year...they got down and dirty and made awesome rolls!!! The boys also made the executive decision that we would leave Santa a huge special cinnamon roll instead of cookies this year....and that is what they made...a special huge cinnamon roll, just for St. Nick himself! We spent the evening with our friends, the Neff Family. We had a great dinner and then acted out the Nativity...we had a great Mary and Joseph (Anna and Randy), amazing baby Jesus (their baby Braden), an fabulous innkeeper (CJ), an unfortgetable Shephard (Preston), 3 beautiful angels (Aparri, Nikki,& Kimber), a sturdy donkey and and narrator (Clay), and the single wiseman and backup narrator (Laura). When the evening got close to bed time, we said goodbye to our friends, and prepared for the night by openning our traditional Christmas Eve PJs. This years theme...was polka dots and angry birds!!! Yes, the boys were more than thrilled!!!

Our Sugar Plum Fairy

2012-01-01T09:34:00.000-08:00

Miracles Do Happen....we got a picture

2012-01-01T09:08:00.000-08:00

They are all looking, smiling, no food on the face....It's a miracle!!!! We have been trying sooo hard to get a picture for our Christmas card with NO luck....little did we know, that all we had to do was tell our children, "Pretend to be Angry Birds" and waa laa....one of our favorites!

Lake Mead and the Ducks

2012-01-01T08:58:00.000-08:00

We took a nice scenic drive to Lake Mead packed with popcorn in hopes that we might be able to feed some fish....well...we didn't find any fish, but we found lots of ducks!!! Hey, ducks are just as good as fish, right? The view was beautiful and the water tempting...even though they were reminded constantly...DO NOT GET INTO THE WATER...our kids just can't seem to help themselves..especially our Preston who I swear is half fish himself.... We also have been trying hard to get a good Christmas card picture on all our adventures...it is sooo hard to get everyone looking half way decent, looking in the same direction and smiling... I am beginning to think it might be nearly impossible!!!! (We gave up on this trip and and finally just took a fun picture of Clay and I while the kids were doing whatever!!!)

Kids Playtime

2012-01-01T08:06:00.000-08:00

A few of our Favorite things....Dressup, Bubble Bath, and the Children's Museum!!

BSU vs. ASU

2011-12-31T14:48:00.000-08:00

For Christmas, Todd and Joslyn, got Laura and Clay tickets to the BSU vs ASU football game. It has been a long time...since Clay and Laura have been to a football game, so boy were they excited!!! We painted our faces, got BSU colors on...and we were ready to go. When CJ saw Laura's face..and it said BSU...he thought that she needed a sign to hold up and cheer with, so he made her a BUS sign!!!! (I think CJ thought Laura didn't know how to spell it correctly, so he was helping her out!!!) Laura took it to the game, and used it to cheer on the team, and it worked perfect! We had a great time cheering, talking with John (Todd's sister's husband), and being good BSU fans.

Yes..there is Snow in Vegas

2011-12-31T14:38:00.001-08:00

Vegas is amazing...it has the warm hot sunshine in the Summer to go swimming and warm sunshine in the winter for playing in the Snow!!! We took the kids up to Mt. Charleston, about a 45 minute drive, and went sledding...it was so much fun! Preston was our trooper snow sledder. We couldn't get him off the mountain...he kept going and going and going. He loved going fast down the hill with Mom and Dad....so Laura and Clay took turns watching the kids at the car, who were tired, and going down the hill with Preston. Clay, who loves his snow and hot chocolate, made us all hot chocolate on the tailgate of the truck...and we all loved it!!! It warmed us right up....

Shootin' Good Time

2011-12-31T14:19:00.000-08:00

CJ was our star shooter on this trip. Preston was interested in a few shots, but then lost interest - he loves the dirt and throwing "dirt bombs", exploring the desert, and looking at all the plants; Aparri took a shot with the pink Daisy...looked at the target, got excited..then she was back to exploring with Preston and eating chocolates with Mom! Laura always likes to shoot her pink gun...and took a turn with the other rifles, but spent most of the time chasing the exlorers around so CJ could get a good gun safety and handling lesson with Dad.... by the end, CJ and Dad were shooting water bottles and targets together like a pro. CJ can't wait to go again!!!

Cookies...Cookies...Cookies....

2011-12-31T10:18:00.001-08:00

This has been the year of the Christmas Cookie!!! Clay makes a wicked Peanut Butter Cookie...and I mean so wicked that you can't stop...and he can't stop making them!!! We also discoved an unbelievably good almond cookie this year that Laura made....oh wow. Two amazing cookie recipes = disaster for the wasteline but yum yum for the tummy.... yes, they are that good! I would share the peanut butter blossom cookie recipe but Clay says the way they are soo good is to not follow the recipe...so there ya go...but here is the almond cookie recipe for you to try if you dare!!!

Berry Shortbread Dreams
1 c. butter
2/3 c. sugar
1/2 tsp. almond extract
2 c. flour
1/3- 1/2 c. seedless raspberry jam

Glaze:
1 c. powdered sugar
2-3 tsp water
1/2 tsp. almond extract

In a bowl, cream butter and sugar. Beat in extract, gradually add flour until dough forms a ball. Cover and refridgerate 1 hour until easy to handle. Roll into 1'' balls. Place on cookie sheet. Using end of wooden spoon handle, make indention in center of each ball. Fill with jam. (It helps to use a kids medicine dropper for the jam and glaze). Bake 350 14-18 minutes until lightly brown. Wire rake to cool. Combine glaze ingredients; drizzle over cookies.

Happy Birthday Clayboy

2011-12-31T09:58:00.000-08:00

Another year has come and gone...and Clay is another year older and wiser!!! However, as you can see Clay still needs help blowing out his candles!!! As part of the birthday celebrations, the boys thought a campout would be in order!! So, we all slept out in the living room together - Family Campout at Home!!! Happy Birthday....We love you Clayboy....

Ward Family Weekend in Utah-- Family Picture Time

2011-12-31T09:52:00.000-08:00

The Whole Ward Clan....
Stan and Amy

Todd & Joslyn's Family

Trevor and Leslie's Family

Johnny and Janie's Family

Clay and Laura's Family

Papa and Grandma with all the Grandkids

Stan and Amy

Ward Family Weekend in Utah--Temple Square

2011-12-31T09:38:00.003-08:00

It has been years since we have made it temple square for the lights...and it never ceases to amaze us how many lights they can fit on one tree...and how each little tiny branch has lights....beautiful. Preston enjoyed the Christus Statue and wanted to touch the feet. It sure was a lot colder in Utah than in Vegas...but luckily we had all our winter gear on, so we stayed warm!!!

Ward Family Weekend in Utah--Conference Center

2011-12-31T09:28:00.000-08:00

Several members of our family have never been to Utah...so temple square and the conference center were key points and highlights to visit. We spent a day exploring the sites....here is the confence center tour. Those elevators are amazing....we ALL fit into ONE elevator...granted it was close quarters, but hey, we are family!!!

Ward Family Weekend in Utah--THE POOL

2011-12-31T09:09:00.000-08:00

Luckily, the Hotel we stayed at.. had a pool- it was a hit! It was the perfect place for the kids to burn some energy and make some noise without bothering everyone else in the hotel! There were chicken fights, splashing, laughing, yelling, and underwater "hot cocoa" parties..however, THE highlight of the pool was the huge tidal waves created by everyone standing around the pool and on the count of three cannon balling in together...it was quite a sight!

Unveiling of the Watermelon

2011-12-31T08:20:00.000-08:00

The Watermelon had stopped growing, so we felt it was time to open it up and check the inside....well, it definitely was a watermelon...but very light pink on the inside....so it was fun watching it grow...but not very sweet to eat...

Hoover Dam

2011-12-07T15:35:00.000-08:00

The day after Thanksgiving....the whole clan took a gander down to Hoover Dam to take a peek. Wow..what a view. It was really neat to see. We were able to walk across the dam and then we hiked up to a bridge that looks over the whole dam and gives you quite a view! Here is a collection of pictures from the trip. We were really excited Clay was able to make it on this outing with us! He was scheduled to work, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday...but lucky for us he got called off on Friday!!! Yipee... (so just in case you were wondering why he wasn't in some of the other Thanksgiving pictures...he was working!!!). Clay also gave Becky, Julie, Laura and Nancy all rides on his motorcycle!!!!

Thanksgiving

2011-12-07T15:23:00.000-08:00

The Whole Clan is here.... Thanksgiving morning, we started the day cooking and then took a break by having a lazer tag war (Thanks to Jake, Becky's boyfriend, who brought all the fun equipment.) We had a great time chasing and shooting each other all around the house. We then feasted and feasted and feasted....and then if you know the Smith Family well, you will know what happened all night....GAMES GAMES GAMES!!! With all that competitive blood in the house, we had a great time trying to win!!! With everyone here we had a total of 18 people - it was a full house, but a fun house. It was fun to see and be with everyone!!

Underwater Pool Party

2011-12-04T22:26:00.000-08:00

The Pool ...always a favorite with the Ward family, so when we found out it was a favorite of Julie and Isaac's...off we went! Julie and Isaac brought their underwater camera - and boy did we have fun with that!!! CJ and Preston are experts at underwater parties (as you can see), but this was Aparri's first experience underwater and she did fabulous!!! It' an all new adventure when you can see what happens under the water!!! Laura is reconfiguring her Christmas and birthday wish list...it just might have to include an underwater camera...this is too cool!!!

Red Rock Canyon

2011-12-04T22:09:00.000-08:00

One of the first places we took Julie and Isaac was Red Rock Canyon..and Wow...what beautiful country. None of us had ever been, and were amazed. As we got closer to the mountains, Preston couldn't wait to climb them...he wanted to go straight up. So we picked a trail and did just that...went straight up on the rocks! There were these amazing polka dots on the rocks that were perfectly formed, cactus everywhere, large mountains, red/ orange rock, and amazing views. We definitely didn't allow ourselves enough time to explore the area...we will definitely be coming back to do more hiking and looking around this fun place!! The beauty of God's creations constantly amaze us. We are so glad that this one is so close that we can explore it again soon!! (Poor CJ was in school, so he missed out on this adventure, but we will have to make sure he is with us on our next trip...)

First Guests Arrive

2011-12-04T21:09:00.000-08:00

We were able enjoy having a houseful of guests for Thanksgiving- Mom and Dad Smith and all the Smith Girls and their families!! Julie and Isaac were the first to arrive. They came the Saturday before, so we were able to enjoy a few days of fun with them before the rest of the clan showed up.....the kids immediately latched on and loved both Julie and Isaac...

Our First Airshow at Nellis

2011-12-04T20:57:00.000-08:00

We had a great time roaming around and looking at all the different aircraft at the annual airshow at Nellis AFB. Airplanes, Helicopters, flying things...are always up our alley!!! We tried to get Aparri to hop out of the stroller and get into some of the aircraft with the boys, but she wasn't going to do it....maybe next time!!!

Preston's Treat with Daddy

2011-12-04T20:49:00.000-08:00

Preston LOVES motorcycles, just as much as his Dad...so any time he can...he will take a ride with Daddy.

Halloween Night...

2011-12-04T20:42:00.000-08:00

Here are the three kids ready to head out and get some good candy!!! CJ and Preston easily and eagerly got on their costumes...Aparri on the other hand....screamed and cried while Laura and Clay struggled to get her costume on...but then after it was all said and done; she looked down and said, "Pretty" and LOVED IT! She twirled and loved to look at herself in the mirror and on the camera. Clay and all three kids had a great time treat or treating around the neighborhood. Aparri insisted on walking house to house instead of riding in the wagon Dad provided for her! CJ wasn't quite done getting treats when the younger two were finished, so he went out with Mom for an additional round!!! Here are some pictures of our Darth Vador (CJ), Batman (Preston) and Little Ladybug (Aparri). Fun times...Happy Halloween.

Fluffy the Fearsome Cat

2011-10-30T21:54:00.002-07:00

Last year we had a fearsome pumpkin, this year the kids wanted a less, more tame face... so...here she is....Fluffy all in her glory. Laura designed the winning face, and Clay and the kids did a great job cutting, gutting, and making her come to life!!!

Riding the Train...Spooky Style

2011-10-30T21:46:00.000-07:00

When we heard there was a train ride close....we knew that was exactly what our kids would love!!! So, we surprised the kids...we got them in their costumes...because the kids wanted to "practice" trick or treating early..This was their plan as they explained it: "We are going to go outside, go around the house, ring the door bell, and say trick or treat" Laura then said, "I assume you would like me to put candy in your bucket too...while you are practicing." The kids surprised us by their response, "No..we are just practicing. You could put toys from around the house, or stuff like that in our bucket..." then Preston said, "Hey, you could use the play food!" "Yeah..." was the resounding response from CJ and Aparri! So..it was settled, we were going to "practice" trick or treating with playfood!! Well, Clay and Laura, found a better idea! We went to the train to go trick or treating!!! The kids were in heaven, when we pulled up to the train station, they were yelling and so excited that they actually got to ride a real train....and it was sporting Halloween Conductors and Engineers...plus a spooky car set up with Mr. Bones!!! Fun times on the train.

Halloween Hooligans

2011-10-30T21:27:00.000-07:00

We have been doing a lot of fun things in the spirit of Halloween!!! We made "monsters" with our friends. The kids did a great job working together and we had a fun time making the spooky pair. Then, we went to a Halloween Party at the library; the kids, well CJ and Preston, loved putting their costumes on early and scarying all the librarians. Aparri, won't put hers on to save her life....goodness, where does this girl get her stubbornness from??? We had heard that girls love to dress up and change their clothes a million times a day...not ours...we can't get her to put on her cute little lady bug gettup...thank goodness we bought a 3T, so if we can't get her into it this year, maybe next year!!!

Two Tailed Tuesday

2011-10-26T10:01:00.001-07:00

Today was a big day for Aparri!!! She had pig-tails for the first time and she kept them in all day too!!! At first, she wasn't real excited to let me take her picture...but after getting a banana, she was much more cooperative!!! So..here is Aparri sporting her new look!

School Fall Festival

2011-10-23T22:53:00.000-07:00

We went and spent Friday night at, CJ's School fall festival. We went and had a great time playing all the games..

The Desert's "Pumpkin Patch"

2011-10-23T22:49:00.000-07:00

Well, this carnival, fun center, pumpkin selling corner was the closest thing we could find for a pumpkin patch. We let each kid pick the rides of their choice...

Preston wanted the large slide and the bouncy castle, CJ wanted the moving rides..thank goodness he choose Clay to go with him on the spinning one...Laura wouldn't have made it on that one, Clay looked a little blue when he came off and he is the one that is accustomed to motion sickness... Aparri chose the large slide and then the swings..Laura and Clay were a little anxious to put her on the swing, it looked like it went pretty fast, but she was adament that she wanted to go...so go she did...the look on her face when they started picking up speed was hilarious...but, she didn't cry, she just held on for dear life, and then when she realized that she was ok and it was actually kinda fun...she cracked a smile for us! Aparri survived her first carnival ride!!! The boys had a great time cheering on their little sister..and making funny faces - as you can see. I wish we could say that they were making funny faces to make Aparri happy...but no, that is just what boys do best...be silly ALL THE TIME!!!

So, we let the kids ride the rides and then left...yes, we left pumpkinless...the prices were rediculous....$9 for the small pumpkins and up from there....so we stopped at Nellis Commissary Pumpkin Patch (aka..grocery store) on the way home. We had a great time picking out our favorite pumpkins...and waa laa...the pumpkins were even bigger than the $9.00 pumpkins on the lot and cost $3.50 instead... that is my kind of pumpkin patch! When we got home, the kids had a great time painting and designing their own pumpkins. I think we just might have to try and grow our own pumpkins next year; right next to our watermelon plant!!!

Sneak Peek of the House

2011-10-23T22:17:00.001-07:00

We have had several people request some pictures of our new house...so here is just a few of the rooms -a sneak peek if you will..until you come and see it in person!!! We are still working on getting everything put away and situated, but we love it here. We are so happy. Laura is having a great time decorating, rearranging, and redecorating and rearranging!! Happy times.

Sweet Surprise

2011-10-23T22:11:00.000-07:00

When we first moved in, there was a small little plant by the front door that was about to die...and didn't think much of it. Well, it had a growth spurt and started to fourish...we figured it just needed a little love to start itself going. Well, after a few weeks...some cute yellow flowers appeared on the plant...oh, that is cute we thought!! And then...waa laa, low and behold - WATERMELON started to grow...we have one rather large one, one medium size one, and several small ones just starting. We are thrilled...our very own little watermelon plant! Who knew?

Sleepin' on the Trampoline...

2011-10-23T22:07:00.001-07:00

The boys had a night out in the backyard...and they loved it. They asked Laura and Aparri to join them, but they preferred their beds!! So, it was just the men on this campout! They had such a great time, they want to sleep out there everynight! Poor Clay, said he didn't get very good sleep (the boys were up for this and that all night) so Clay wasn't too excited to do it every night...but maybe every other night - one good night sleep inbetween!!!

The Las Vegas Wards

2011-10-09T23:12:00.001-07:00

We are enjoying our warm FALL weather!!! Swimming in the pool in October!!!! Wow.

Exploration on Mr. Charleston

2011-10-09T23:06:00.001-07:00

Clay got home!!!Yipee... So to celebrate, we went exploring to Mt. Charleston. Preston kept saying that he wanted to hike a mountain, so off we went in search of the mountain. We found a hike called Mary Jane Falls and decided to take it. Well, when we left Las Vegas it was in the 90s, so we didn't think much about jackets, pants, etc. Well, when we got to the base of the hike, it was a little chilly...60-70s probably with a little bit of a breeze, but we thought..we will warm up as we hike...and we did (for a while)...the kids started to loose interest up the hill, and we decided we would give it 5 more minutes....well, after 5 minutes, the kids got excited because they started to hear the waterfall...and then they were the ones that wanted to keep going...so up..up...up this mountain we climbed. We finally reach the falls...(which is small, but the rock cavern was incredible and it really was a neat place...but we unfortunately were there at the wrong time....as we took Aparri out of the pack...she was sooo cold she was shaking...we hugged her and tried to warm her up. The boys explored for about 5 minutes before the rain started to fall..yes, rain...just a little at first, and then a lot....we were on top of this mountain - with no trees for shelter, no jackets to keep us dry, very little food, and getting colder by the minute....we we start our descend as quickly as possible....but Preston starts crying because he is now tired, cold and wet and doesn't want to walk any more...his crying started as a whimper and then became down right hysterical screams, which lead to Aparri starting to cry, or scream too, and then last but not least...yes, even CJ joins in. Well, Clay and Laura are now looking at each other and in a moment such as this..you can either laugh or cry...there is no other options....well, we chose to laugh...but that didn't go over very well with the children...they got made at us! We tried to explain to them that they would laugh at this someday too, just not right now and they were convinced that was NOT TRUE...Well, long story short...we made it down the mountain (several hikers took pity on us and gave us their shirts and jackets to shield the kids...what nice people) and the kids have sworn never to go back to THAT mountain again...but I think we will!! Time is a great healer! Oh...welcome home honey!! PS...Laura really wanted to take a picture of the wet crying clan at the bottom...because it was such a funny picture...but it was literally dumping rain and the kids were not about to have it.....so, try and create a picture in your head...it is probably pretty accurate!

1st Day of School 2011-2012

2011-10-09T22:44:00.000-07:00

The first day of school was a little rough...a lot of new changes; not knowing anyone; new school; etc. But, both CJ and Preston were brave boys and did a great job!!! We are excited for the new year.

Toothless Wonder

2011-10-09T22:39:00.001-07:00

CJ just keeps loosing teeth!!! First one, then another and then yet another.... he has several large holes - but we can already see those front teeth coming in...it won't be long.

Kids Entertaining themselves

2011-10-09T22:37:00.001-07:00

While Laura continues to unpack the house, the kids play in the backyard and create their own entertainment...here are a few random shots of the kids "play"......since it is so hot here in Vegas, the hose is a common source of playtime fun!! We also take frequent visits to the pool....

Don't worry...I know this looks bad, but it is just blackberry juice....he ate a whole pack of blackberries when Laura wasn't looking.....and made quite the mess with them too.

Taking a Break and Eating Chocolate

2011-10-09T22:30:00.000-07:00

Laura and the kids took a much needed break from unpacking the house and visited the Ethel Chocolate Factory in Vegas. The kids had just watched Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, so when Laura mentioned going to a chocolate factory the kids were extremely excited...now, the factory here in Vegas is interesting and all - and they did give us a taste of chocolate in the end - but the kids were highly disappointed....it was definitely not "Willy Wonka's factory" but outside we did find a neat cactus garden!! The kids LOVE to point out cactus everywhere - on the side of the road, in people's yard, on tv, by the freeway, etc. therefore the garden was a hit. On the way home, we found a McDonalds - disappointment solved...it's amazing what those golden arches can do!

The kids were more interested in watching the "making chocolate" video tutorial that way playing on the wall then saying "cheese" and looking at the camera....I tried several times to get a shot, and then just gave up!

Killin' Trees

2011-10-09T22:18:00.000-07:00

Moving boxes & paper, EVERYWHERE...I wish we would have taken pictures of all the boxes and paper...it was ridiculous....but unfortunately, we didn't. The kids favorite daily play time was when they took the paper and made a huge mountain in the hallway. It was huge - we couldn't even walk down there....wow. I think we killed a lot of trees today.....

Favorite Park in Utah Co.

2011-10-09T22:13:00.001-07:00

We stopped in American Fork on our way down to Las Vegas. During our visit, we went to our favorite park!! It has a great little "river" that runs through it that the kids can play, splash, dance, etc. with a waterfall to watch on the end; plus a fountain that is perfect for running through and getting wet. The kids had a great time splashing around with the cousins.

Visiting Gran & Judy's Place

2011-10-09T21:58:00.000-07:00

Gran is always a fun lady to visit. Our trip to Idaho wouldn't be complete without saying hello to Clay's sweet grandma. So, on our way to Utah, we stopped and said hello Gran. We had a very nice visit, and then went and saw, Clay's Aunt, Judy. We had never been to her house before - so we enjoyed the dogs, tree house, and all the new toys.

4 wheelers, bailers, combines...oh my!

2011-09-27T07:21:00.000-07:00

A ride on any and all machinery the kids possibly can is also a favorite!!! Grandma gave the kids rides on the 4 wheeler, Uncle Trever gave the kids a ride on the bailer, and Papa gave the kids a ride on the combine. Heaven, sheer kid heaven...their smiles were hard to capture on the camera because they were sooo big! They will be talking about this for weeks!!! Papa even let each kid drive the combine - from the look on their faces..they felt very much in control!! "Look at me, driving this big rig" Wow, what a treat.

Sayin' Hello to the Farm

2011-09-27T07:12:00.000-07:00

We all love to visit Grandma and Papa on the farm, so we were all glad that Idaho was on the way from Washington to Nevada...so we could stop in for a visit on the way to our new home! Our favorite thing in Idaho is to see the Grandparents, of course, but we also love the endless supply of dirt, rocks, and cousins to play with! The ditch is always a favorite too!!! We can't keep the kids out of it - for example... we weren't here 5 minutes before Preston was sailing his crocs down the ditch!!! NOOOO...that is his only pair of shoes that aren't packed...aghh. We chased it down the ditch, but couldn't find it.....until the next morning (whew...). We found it floating at the end of the ditch down by the pump. When asked why he put his croc in the ditch, Preston replied, "I just wanted to see it float down the river!" BOYS!!!

The cousins had a new surprise on this visit...they had a new puppy...well, you guessed it - Preston was in heaven. He loved that little thing. He held it, talked to it, wrapped it up, etc. Some of the cousins wanted to teach the little thing how to swim....at the end of the day, Laura decided the little thing had endured enough and rescued it from the kids...now, Laura likes dogs - just doesn't LOVE them, but let me tell you..she sure enjoyed holding that little pup....she had a hard time giving it back too!!

Beautiful Park Pictures.....sort of!

2011-09-25T22:09:00.001-07:00

We were at this beautiful park, and Laura thought it would be the perfect opportunity to get some cute pictures of the kids with such amazing background and scenery....well, the kids had other plans!!! We got a few cute ones...but the boys were more interested in riding the garden hose storage cart than taking pictures...figures!!!

Breakfast in bed and Bonfire

2011-09-25T21:57:00.002-07:00

We spent the last few days at Nana and Papa's House...playing, playing, & more playing! To treat the kids, Nana and Papa made them breakfast in bed (after Shane left...the kids were soooo excited to sleep in his big king size bed- so was Laura, but she got quickly kicked out by the kids!!!). The kids were so surprised to have breakfast in bed, it took them a minute to figure out what was going on! But, when they finally woke up enought to realize - hey....this is a good thing - they were so excited. Then later that afternoon, Preston and Papa prepared a bonfire for us...we roasted hotdogs and marshmellos.... John next door was nice enough to eat one of our roasted "Monster Marshmellos" - Have you seen those? They are not the typical campfire marshmellos...these suckers are HUGE - Jumbo things...enormous....Laura thought they were the greatest things ever - and tasted really good too!!! Fun times!!! We are getting ready to start our trek south to Las Vegas - where the work begins!!!

Shane Became a Missionary

2011-09-25T21:43:00.001-07:00

Shane became Elder Smith!!! It was neat to be there and share the experience with him. Shane leaves in the morning to head to the MTC in Provo. He has been called to serve in the Brazil, Fortaleza mission. We are going to miss you Shane, but you are going to be a great missionary. We love you, see you in 2 years!!!

The Barn

2011-09-25T21:36:00.001-07:00

Laura's cousin, Heather, invited us over to "The Barn" and " The Pond" for a day of fun. We met several of the dogs...one was HUGE...never seen a dog that big...seriously it could be part Bear...wow. Of course, Preston was in Dog heaven! Not only was there a huge dog as big as him, but another dog had given birth to puppies, so we were able to enjoy holding them. We were then able to try and rope some of the goats, which we weren't very successful at! Then we went inside where we played on the equipment and ate lunch. After our food settled, we were ready for the pond!!! The pond had several amazing rope swings, and 2 very FAST slides...that literally shoot you across the water. The adults had just as much fun as the kids...they are that good!!! Thanks Heather for a fun day!!!

24th of July Celebration

2011-09-18T23:10:00.000-07:00

The Stake put on a fabulous 24th of July celebration. Nana, Papa, Grandma Smith, Laura and the kids went and celebrated! They had face painting, snow cones, jumping slide, petting zoo, lunch, balloon animals, handcarts, etc. We had a fun afternoon being in the sun, enjoying the festivities, and remembering the pioneers.

Preston, our animal lover, loved the petting zoo...especially the bunny pen (which was literally that...a pen full of bunnies!!) and the bunnies loved him. They were snuggling up to him...it was really cute!

Cheese Factory & Beach Trip

2011-09-18T22:59:00.001-07:00

No one else wanted to get in the water when we first got to the beach, but CJ and Preston were in right from the get go....until the bitter end. Laura could hardly get them out to even eat lunch they were having too much fun!!!

Shane was brave enough to let us bury and make him a pretty mermaid!!! Good sport!

CJ made this castle all by himself. He was so proud of the mote and the seat he made for himself! Good job CJ!!

Shane and Julie jumping the waves

Smith Family Reunion 2011

2011-09-18T22:51:00.001-07:00

All 7 Smith Kids, several spouses, and all the grandkids got together at Nana and Papa's House in July to be together and see Shane off on his mission to Brazil. We went hiking, took a trip to the Tillamook Cheese Factory, Played at the Beach, and had team family games in the backyard. It was a great crazy weekend!

CJ's cousin, Easton, introduced him to the skateboard! They had fun riding it down the hill in front of Nana and Papa's house!!

Kathy and Dad made homemade sushi....The bottle's top fell off on Kathy...so she is alittle surprised!! But, the sushi was incredible! They did such a great job!

(Aparri was asleep for the picture....)

Warrior DASH 2011

2011-09-18T22:09:00.000-07:00

While Laura was staying at her parent's house this summer, Laura, Shane, Julie, & Isaac signed up for the warrior dash....a fun run up near Seattle. It was a 3.55 mile course through wild terrain broken up with different obstacles....cars, walls, pitch black tunnels that you crawl through, thin boards, fire, mud, etc. The 4-some trained and then ran the ran.....they all had a great time...covered in mud and all!!! They even camped the night prior to the run up at McChord AFB (which has beautiful camp grounds!) They had such a fabulous and fun time, we are thinking of making it a family tradition!!! The only "not so smart" thing that Laura did was buy a junky pair of shoes from Goodwill for the run (hey, they were literally destroyed by the mud....so the idea was good, but the shoes were a little small and rubbed one spot, just right and Laura got a good size blister...ouch!) Other than that...awesome!

MAX Ride to Portland

2011-09-18T21:54:00.000-07:00

Trains, Trains, Trains....we love trains... when we had the opportunity to go to Portland to visit Laura's dental teacher from High School, we took the MAX. The kids loved it! They thought it was a great adventure! It was so fun to catch up and see Val after all these years! Val and her husband have a Frozen Yogurt shop in Portland, Tart Berry. IT IS THE BEST. They have amazing flavors, and TONS and TONS of toppings...if you are in the Portland area... I would totally recommend visiting Tart Berry...you won't be disappointed!!

July Trip in Vegas to Paint

2011-09-18T21:49:00.000-07:00

Well, we got the keys to our house in Vegas! It was going to be a weekend full of work - painting, unloading a storage unit, and meeting a moving truck...but, unfortunately the moving truck didn't make it - so the weekend was spent painting, putting up a chair rail, and more painting!! Laura put her poor Dad to work!! But, the end result was perfect!!! Thanks Dad, for all the hard work...it was fun spending time together! Now....if only we can get that moving truck to show up!!!

Summer Swim Lessons

2011-09-18T21:44:00.000-07:00

It is now official....we have 2 fish for sons!!! They love the water! They couldn't wait for swimming lessons every day!!! The only hard thing was keeping Aparri out of the water as we watched the boys swim!! The boys learned lots and couldn't wait for mom to take them swimming so they could show her all their arm stokes, keeping their face under the water, etc. They couldn't wait for their pool date, so they attempted to show their mom tricks in the bathtub!!! Preston held his breath for 14 seconds!!! But, when the boys started kicking and trying to actually "swim" in the tub, Laura found time to take them to the real pool where they could really show her their moves!!

Family Picture Time

2011-09-05T20:52:00.001-07:00

4th of July Firework Show

2011-09-05T20:36:00.000-07:00

Aparri was a festive little girl from the top of her head to the toes of her boots!!! And boy did she know it! We got to enjoy Clay with us for the weekend, but that also meant he had to head back on Monday - the actual 4th, but we lit off lots of fireworks both nights, so it felt like two 4ths and no 3rd of July!!! We played outdoor games, had a BBQ, went and visited some friends new kittens (brand new, eyes weren't even open yet!!), fireworks, and just spent time together.....great holiday!!

We all had a front row view of the show...but part way through, we realized that a front row seat isn't always the best when you have fireworks like "utter chaos"....ummm yeah, especially with kids. Luckily no one was majorly hurt, just a little nick and really scared when a firework headed straight for the unsuspecting spectators. Whew, talk about an adrenaline rush!!!

Ape Caves Adventure

2011-09-04T17:10:00.000-07:00

While Clay was in town, we explored some underground caves called the Ape Caves. We went on the "easy" cave first. It was really neat, but mostly flat. The kids loved having flashlights and glow sticks so that they could see, the huge cavern, and cool temperatures. After the first cave, we took a break, had lunch and then explored the "upper caves" or the "harder more intense" cave...and that it was. It was soooo neat, but not very kid friendly. The kids were getting tired and not really enjoying the huge pile after pile of rock that they had to climb that went for miles...so after just a few minutes of cave exploration, we turned around and headed out....but Clay and Laura have agreed that they need to go back either when the kids are older, or when they can have a date to themselves and conquer those rock mountains!!!!

Home Depot Workshop

2011-09-04T16:59:00.000-07:00

Ever since we discovered Home Depots Kids Workshop Saturdays, we have been huge fans.... Nails, hammers, glue, paint, putting things together...that is right up our alley. They even gave the kids these cute Home Depot aprons. Since Daddy was in town, and Julie/Nana were also with us - it was a group effort to get our projects together!

4th of July Surprise

2011-09-04T16:54:00.000-07:00

Clay got a long weekend off from training, so he flew in and surprised us!!! We had a great holiday weekend - full of parks, playing, fireworks, and loving Daddy!!!!

Laura's Sun Dog

2011-07-05T22:41:00.000-07:00

Laura had no idea what this was and thought it was so interesting that she took a picture (secretly hoping it was something really rare and she was capturing it for the world!!!)...it was a perfect dark circle around the sun with a beautiful rainbow ring around the edge. When she mentioned it to Clay, her I love Geography, Geology, and Astronomy Man...her hopes and dreams of seeing the unnatural and rare were crashed, he knew exactly what it was and was surprised that Laura had never seen or heard of it before....so..here you go...Laura's first Sun Dog!

Berry Picking

2011-07-05T22:35:00.000-07:00

The strawberries are ON! We have gone twice now to pick berries because the kids love it so much! We get just as many berries in the bucket as we do in our mouths...well just about! Depends on the picker! Preston...hmmm..his proportions might be slightly higher...with the amount that went in the mouth vs. the bucket...on our second trip, he didn't even bring the bucket! Yes, not the best picker mind you...but he remained happy,calm, and occupied while the rest of us picked....whew.

Kid's Weekend w/o Parents

2011-07-05T22:28:00.000-07:00

As you can see the kids REALLY missed their parents when they went away for the weekend! A whole lot of crying....NOT! With Nana...their is no lacking of coolwhip and with Papa...their is always rides on the lawn mower....the combination creates very happy children! They can't wait for us to go away again!

Joslyn and Todd Wedding

2011-07-05T22:19:00.000-07:00

A wonderful thing happened on June 10! Clay and Laura met up in Boise (without the kids) and were able to have a wonderful weekend away....during that weekend away, Clay's Sister, Joslyn, got married to Todd. We are so excited for them and were glad that we could come and celebrate with them! It was fun being able to see family and spend the day together.

The neighbor helped entertain all the kids (and bride and groom!!!) by giving them rides in this amazing train that he made!!! Everyone had a great time...it kept the kids happy for a LONG time!!! Clay and Laura almost missed their kids, almost!!! (Of course we did, we just enjoyed being together too!!)

The ribbon was picked out special for Joslyn from CJ....he made it very clear that it was for Joslyn and it was a gift. We were to make sure that she got it! So, we had to take a picture to prove that it got into the right hands, and Mom and Dad didn't snag her gift!!!

Shane goes to the Temple

2011-07-05T22:05:00.000-07:00

As Shane continues to prepare for his mission...we are excited to be here so that we can be apart of some of the excitement! Shane recieved the Melchizedek Priesthood and went to the temple. His report date is coming quickly!!!

Miniture Horse

2011-07-05T21:56:00.000-07:00

A wonderful family in the ward, the Jones', let us come over and enjoy their miniture horses. We loved them! They came right up to us, let us pet them, and then ate right out of our hands. The boys followed them around the field...Aparri would pet them, but only in the safety of Nana or Mom's arms! They also had a great play area set up for kids that had a huge blow up ball that you could crawl into, a helicopter ride, playset, and several riding toys...the kids were in heaven!!!

Who likes water balloons??

2011-06-29T15:24:00.000-07:00

Aparri learned from the pro water balloon man himself....Preston's face doesn't give away the fact that he is enjoying himself does it?

A Day at the Firehouse

2011-06-29T15:22:00.000-07:00

For Hockinson Fun Days, we went to the Firestation and participated in several fun events. The boys got to use a fire hose and "put out" the fire in the house, got to watch the medivak helicopter land, sit in the helicopter, meet smoky the bear, and then watch a fire demonstration - they had two rooms set up one with overhead sprinklers and one without....pretty amazing demonstrations. The one without was a blaze in 2 minutes, everything ruined and heat like you wouldn't believe- kids cried; the one with a sprinkler lasted seconds before the sprinklers came on and in the end only had the curtain burnt...pretty powerful deomonstration.

Family Fun

2011-06-29T15:09:00.000-07:00

Whether we are making homemade rootbeer, shooting guns, riding the lawn mower, driving the four wheeler, or buzzing around on the motorcycle we are having a great time with family!!!

Dozer Days

2011-06-29T15:05:00.000-07:00

Bulldozers, diggers, dumptrucks, garbage trucks, HUGE tires, sand, toys....How else can I describe a little boys dream land....and that is exactly what CJ and Preston experienced at "Dozer Days". The boys got to not only crawl, hike, and sit in their dream machines, they also got to drive them! It was a fun day for everyone!!!

Our Vacation has been Extended

2011-06-27T13:58:00.000-07:00

During our stay in Washington, Clay got called back early to start training. Since we haven't gotten established yet in Vegas - Laura and the kids decided to make an extension on their vacation and stay in Washington until August, when it is closer to Clay's return. So....here we are, Surprise Summer Vacation in Washington!!! Laura and the kids are enjoying their time with Shane before he goes to Brazil on his church mission; loving being with Nana and Papa; and are excited to be here for all the fun with family this summer. We aren't enjoying being away from Clay...but that is the nature of the job sometimes...so we are thankful for mail, email, and skype!

4 Wheeler and Lawn Mower Excitement

2011-06-27T13:53:00.000-07:00

The second the sound of the lawn mower, 4 wheeler, or motorcycle hit the ears of the "kids" everyone comes running....as you can see we are ALL enjoying a ride!!!

Preston's Little Green Friend

2011-06-27T13:28:00.001-07:00

Preston loves animals, reptiles, bugs, insects, etc. Preston found this little frog in the back yard and loved it until dinner time.

Flower Princess Aparri

2011-06-27T13:24:00.001-07:00

Aparri is hardly ever seen without a flower in her hair, and yes in some instances....more than one flower at a time!!!

Picnic with Nana

2011-06-27T13:13:00.000-07:00

The kids had a great time picnicing in the backyard with Nana!!!

Water Lovers

2011-06-27T13:09:00.000-07:00

I am not kidding when I tell you, our kids are completely and utterly attracted to water...it doesn't matter if it is a pool, puddle, hose, rain, toilet, etc..if it has water, one or all of our children will be in it! Thank heavens Laura had the good sense to bring the puddle boots with us on our trip!!! We have been using them ALOT!

Water Water Water

2011-06-27T12:55:00.000-07:00

Any chance they get, our kids are in the water! So...off to the pool we go!

We knew our kids would love this slide if they would just let themselves go on it...well, CJ said no, Preston said no, and since Aparri can't quite say no yet, we took it as a yes! So, we took her on the slide...and wouldn't you know it, she LOVED it! The minute she got down, she would giggle and squeal and then point at it, meaning AGAIN!!! At the end of the session, we finally got CJ down and yep...we couldn't get him off it either - until they closed the slide! We are still going to try to get Preston on it next time!!!

Next Stop....Washington

2011-06-27T12:48:00.000-07:00

The next stop on our vacation was Washington to visit Laura's family.