Smith Week Review

Smith week was spent at a gorgeous cabin near Stevens Pass, WA.

The view from the deck at the cabin!

We went to a cute little German town, Leavenworth

These two were the best of friends! Fisher (10 months) and Boston (13 months)

Walking around Leavenworth, WA

My nephew Jacob, and Dad Smith

We had a picnic at a park

The boys went fishing

 We sat around the campfire

Jack LOVED telling campfire stories

Kalee and Fisher

The whole gang in our sweet "Smith shirts" :)

Kalee, Mom Smith, Grandma Smith, Liz, and me

The grandsons! Fisher (10 months) Jacob (7) Jack (3 1/2) Boston (13 months)

 We played down by the river

It was so great to spend so much time with my Smith family who hasn't all been together (although we missed McKay!) since Christmas 2010! This was the first time Mom and Dad Smith have met Fisher since they are living so far away in the U.A.E. near Dubai. Thanks for a wonderful week! Hoping it won't be another year and a half until we're together again!

Poulson Week Recap

We were lucky enough to spend two weeks of August with our families!

The first week was spent with the Poulson clan in Eagle Crest, OR - outside of Bend.
The resort we stayed at had so much to do!
We spent the week playing tennis, swimming, hiking, white water rafting, playing games, and watching movies.

So much fun!

Harrison, Me, Lindsay, tour guide, James, Dad, Emma, JW

Jack with Lindsay (and my soon to be niece or nephew!) and JW

Emma, James, and Mom

  

Mom and Dad Smith, Kalee, and Boston had come into town a couple days before we got home, and were staying at our house so we all met up at a park halfway between my parents house in Vancouver, and our house in Lacey.  Harrison's parents and my parents were friends before we even met (in fact, that's how we met!) so we couldn't pass up a chance to get everyone together!

Mom Smith, Fisher, and Kalee

Dad Smith, Fisher, and Dad Poulson

My sweet little nephew, Boston

 

Fisher is 3 months younger than Boston, but that didn't make him shy!

 

My sweet grandmother

We had such a blast during "Poulson week"! We miss Linds and JW so much - since we only get to see them once or twice a year. Thanks mom and dad for the awesome week!

Weekend Project

  When Harrison and I were first married and living the poor student, Provo life, we needed two items of furniture desperately.  A dresser and a desk.  One day, (I think it was even my birthday...) we were driving home, and a huge student complex was taking out all of their old furniture to bring in new pieces.  And what was in their parking lot? Dozens and dozens of dressers and desks.  They were going to be taken to Goodwill, but anyone who wanted them could take them. Being the low budget newlyweds we were, we were pumped to find the very pieces we needed for our little basement apartment.  This desk was definitely past its prime and after 4 years of trying to ignore it, we finally gave it a makeover. A couple trips to Home Depot, a bit of paint, new hardware, and we love it!

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            

Before

After

Birthday Getaway

Mr. Smith turned 26 on Saturday, and we went on a 24 hour date to celebrate. We dropped off the kiddos at my parents' house that morning (THANK YOU POULSON GANG!!) and went to the Portland LDS Temple, then headed off to hike all day.  Harrison planned a couple of hikes that he really wanted to do, and the weather was perfect! Which is truly a blessing here in the Northwest.  The first hike he wanted to do was through a slot canyon - a first for me.  We started walking along the stream, with the water ankle deep.  It was cold, but so shallow that it wasn't a big deal.  Then we came to a HUGE log jam that we had to climb over to get to our end goal at the end of the stream, lower Oneonta waterfall. Our feet were slippery, and if you fell off, it would definitely hurt, to say the least.  It was [really] scary at times!! Once we got through that part, people were hiking back from the waterfall, soaking wet.  We asked how high the water got, and someone said up their neck.  Now, we definitely weren't planning for this.  We knew it was possible, but knowing it was July we figured (or maybe I just hoped) that the water wouldn't be that high, but soon we got to the part of the stream that I could tell I would basically have to swim through because the water was so deep!  Besides the fact that the water was freezing cold, I was wearing a white shirt, people.  Considering we still had a 5 mile hike ahead of us, I wasnt going to be able to get through this part alone.  So Harrison, being the superman that he is, carried our backpack with our lunch in it to the safe side of the stream, and came back to give me a piggyback ride across the deepest part.  I have never loved him so much.  I still got wet a little above my waist, but it was a much better alternative. The waterfall was beautiful, and after hanging out there for a while (and Harrison swimming - crazy!) we headed back out of the slot canyon the same way we came in.  Then we continued on our other hikes in beautiful Oregon!  We kept saying all day that we officially felt like Northwesterners now. 

Pictures in iPhone quality...

Then we went back into town, went to dinner, saw a movie, and stayed the night in a cute little hotel. When we went back Sunday morning to pick up the boys, we realized that was the longest time Harrison and I have been alone together since before Jack was born! We've done over night trips before, but they were even shorter than 24 hours. It was a much needed, welcomed break!


Happy birthday to my sweet, successful, spiritual, hunky husband. Thanks for choosing me! Love you!

8 months

Our Fisher is now 8 months old!
He is all over the place!
He's not officially crawling, but he gets on all fours and sort of lunges himself forward..gets on all fours, and lunges...needless to say, he gets where he wants to go.
He LOVES sleeping on his side, and is being so nice to me, sleeping 12 hours at night and 3 naps a day.
He still doesn't mind his car seat, but he is so heavy to haul around in there.  At his last check-up he was 22 pounds, and I'm guessing he's packed on a few more since.
He is the happiest baby you'll ever meet, but if a stranger gets a smile out of him, it is a triumph.  He gets very serious, stern looks about him, but smiles all the time around those he knows.
He has two teeth on the bottom, and I'm sure more will make an appearance soon because he's putting everything in his mouth.  His favorite?  Jack's shoes. Gross.
His favorite way of showing affection (or maybe that he's just really hungry...) is grabbing your hair, cheeks, nose - whatever he can reach - and pulling your face in to give you a very sweet, very slobbery, open mouthed kiss.
We love you, Fisher Vaun!!


Or as Jack would say, "Fisher boo boo"

Feeling Blessed

Harrison is gone again.
Surprise, surprise.
This time for a month, and starting Thursday, we will have zero communication until he's on his way home.
He's training at the NTC (National Training Center) at Ft. Irwin, CA.
We're definitely not strangers to being apart.
In fact, I was thinking today that by the time he gets home, we will have been apart 5 out of the past 11 months.
Definitely the most we've experienced in such a short time frame.
But I am almost certain that longer periods apart are in our future.

Many people I talk to (mostly non-military) say something along the lines of "I bet you're used to him being gone by now..."
Nope, I'm definitely not.
I still hate sleeping alone, it's still hard being a single parent, and I miss him like crazy when he's away.
So even though I'm not exactly "used to him being gone," I'm getting much better at it.
Much, much, better.
I've learned to stay busy.
I get all my crafting, deep cleaning, book reading, Gilmore Girl watching done while he's gone.
And I have to get out of the house.
This means showering, wearing real clothes, putting on make-up, and doing something away from home.
Sounds like a small task, but when you don't have a husband to look good for at the end of the day, it can be daunting.
I am trying to think of places to take my kids.
Jack gets cabin fever, and with all this rain we're having (where are you, summer?) I have to get creative in getting his energy out.
We go to the children's museum, indoor playgrounds, bowling, or even McDonald's to play in the play equipment.
And if that means I have to buy a vanilla cone while I'm there, so be it...

When Jack plays, he naps.
When he naps, he's happy.
When he's happy, I'm happy.

I also feel so blessed to have friends here to go out with and let our kiddos play together, and other military wives that can relate to my situation.  And I think the biggest blessing I have living here, is being by family.  Harrison's brother and his family live 10 miles away, and my family is two hours away.  They give me the sanity I need while Harrison is gone!! 

I know one day we'll move, and have more kids, and Harrison will be gone longer, and maybe to a more dangerous place.  But for now, I'm figuring this separation thing out the best way I can, and I'm feeling so blessed.

Favorite Pastime

Jack has loved bowling lately.

 

He gets so serious when he plays.

 And when he gets a spare or strike, he is hilarious.

His first reaction is surprise, then it turns into excitement, followed by an enthusiastic, "YESSSS" 

and high fives all around.

 Then we hear of nothing else for days.