Nutshell

Between the renovating, moving and unpacking, there have been several noteworthy moments in the Smiley family. Here is a look at our lives over the past month and a half, in a nutshell:

Easter was celebrated successfully. I think there was a fair balance of peeps, egg dying, & chocolate, and talk of Christ and the resurrection. I really wanted to focus more on the true meaning of Easter this year, so the kids did not receive baskets on Easter morning. Instead, I made them each a book full of gospel pictures (mostly of Christ), each with a corresponding quote taken from the Children's hymn book. The books went over better than I thought. The kids really loved them and they have been a great help during Sacrament meetings. The kids then got their fill of sweets and treats during our annual Easter egg hunt at Grandmom and Grandpa Lifferth's home that night.

Ashlyn has become quite interested in puzzle making and has gotten quite good. Just in case you wanted to know, dollar stores are a great place to buy kid puzzles.

Trent pulled out all the drawers in Ashlyn's dresser and consequently the whole thing came tumbling down. A loud crash was followed by screaming and crying. Trent was pinned under two drawers, but fortunately walked away without a scratch. Did I mention that he also had two doors fall on him during renovations? Poor kid, tough though. In both cases, the mental trauma was worse than the physical. For a couple weeks after those two experiences, he would cover his head when he heard a loud noise.

Proof that Trent is going to be an awesome big brother. He adores Mailey and is thrilled when he gets to hold her.

My sweet Mom celebrated 60 years of life. We were able to go to the temple that night for a very special session, which I will hold dear to my heart as one of the most spiritual experiences of my life. We then had a yummy steak dinner followed by a most delicious chocolate cake - kudos to Mindy. My mom deserves the very best and I hope she felt loved on her day.

Hours of entertainment were provided during all the unpacking thanks to "bubblers," as Ashlyn likes to call them.

Trent and Ashlyn both caught fifth's disease - aka, "slap-face." At least that is what I figure it was. There were no other symptoms other than very, very rosy cheeks and a rash on their arms and legs that unpredictably came and went for about a week.

Mother's Day was a wonderful day. I haven't one picture to show for it, but it really was wonderful. Brian outdid himself by fixing me a delicious breakfast and by giving me a gift that not everyone would have appreciated, but one that I was thrilled with - a Bissell green machine. Brian knows me well. Oh, and then there was also the beautiful bouquet of flowers. After breakfast, Brian took care of all household duties so that I could soak in a bubble bath. I love my husband.

Ashlyn made an adorable flower pot for me at preschool, complete with a planted seed which we have diligently monitored every day, checking the growth and making sure the "dust" isn't too dry. Ashlyn also gave me a paper stating that for Mother's day she would "help her make cookies," "help her take care of Trent," and "help her not get food on her clothes." Phew!

Ashlyn had her preschool graduation. She is not headed to kindergarten next year, but with a year and a half of preschool under her belt, I think she is done. Instead of paying preschool tuition, next year, I am looking forward to lots of field trips with my kids: the zoo, dinosaur museum, discovery gateway, the aviary, the aquarium, etc.

As part of the program, Ashlyn was suppose to recite "Mary Had A Little Lamb" which she did perfectly at home. We practiced and practiced and she had it down pat, clear as a bell. However, she suffered a little stage fright when the moment arrived and unfortunately mumbled her way through the rhyme. Too bad, because she had her own version of the last verse:
The teacher turned and moved it out, moved it out, moved it out
The teacher turned and moved it out, but the lamb came baaaaaaack!

Ashlyn had her very first sleep-over! I didn't know how well this was going to go over, but it was great. The girls went to bed just fine and slept side-by-side all through the night.

We had a cousin softball game at the park kiddy-corner to our home. Unfortunately I again don't have one picture, but it was a fun night. I opted to not play, running just didn't sound very appealing. Next time though!

And that is about it. I'm sure there is more, but this is all my "pregnancy brain" can come up with!

A Rude Awakening

I can't really think of a worse way to wake up in the morning than by a four-year-old covered in blood. At approximately 7:00 am this morning, I heard Ashlyn whining and then, "It won't stop!" I looked down to see her standing with a hand full of blood cupped around her chin; blood polka-dotting her pajamas; and blood smeared across her face, arms and legs. I jumped out of bed faster than is humanly possible for an 8 month pregnant woman, while still in that half-awake/half-asleep state-of-mind. Panic and confusion quickly followed as I lead her to my bathroom, trying to understand where all that blood was coming from.

The source = her nose, and I have no idea how long it had been bleeding before she decided to come tell me. I am sure that Ashlyn was just as confused as I was by the whole thing and had tried to take care of it on her own before coming to me. Upon further investigation, I found blood covering her pillow, sheets, bed spread, door, door frame, door knob, and carpet, and then even more in the main bathroom - on the tile, counter top, and sink. Ashlyn was convinced that the cause of her distress was the kick she received to her upper lip from Trent on Saturday - now that is what I would call a delayed reaction!

I have only had one bloody nose in my lifetime (thanks to a certain big brother of mine) and it really didn't amount to much. So, I had no idea how to stop it. Do you lean forward or back? Do stuff it or pinch it? Brian gets bloody noses from time to time and so I blame him. Of course he was at the gym and couldn't answer any of my questions, so I stuffed it and had her lean back. Then I called my mom and found out that I was NOT suppose to stuff it and was suppose to lean forward.

Once the bleeding stop, I put her in the bathtub and then started the clean-up process, which took a good hour. On the bright side, by 8:30 the kids were all bathed, dressed, and sitting at the table eating breakfast - that NEVER happens!

The photo is a little blurry, but I didn't really have a lot of time to get the "perfect shot!"

Rain, Rain, Go Away

Well, so much for blogging more often. To my defense, I was without internet services for two weeks. But so much has happened in the past month, that I have some serious catching up to do. As far as the rain goes, no, I do not wish it to go away. I love rainy days, always have. The problem is, I am extremely lazy on rainy days. I don't want to go anywhere or do anything. I just want to curl up on the couch with a blanket and a good book, or a laptop. I have accomplished nothing so far today, other than catching up on the blogging world. I think I could not live in Seattle because I would become a bum.

Yes, we moved. About two and a half weeks ago. I was determined when we started the project that we would not move until absolutely everything was done. Not one thing was to be left on the "to-do" list. Yeah, that didn't happen. There is still a "to-do" list. Probably always will be. That is the joy of home ownership. But we are in fact living here and we love it.

In case you are wondering, I am 35.5 weeks pregnant. I can't/don't sleep. I am popping Zantac and Tums like crazy. My hips ache all the time. Braxton hicks are in full force. I have NO idea if we are having a boy or a girl. Names have not been determined. All baby items are still in boxes. Said boxes are somewhere amongst the pile in our basement. Ashlyn and Trent love touching my belly and giving the baby hugs and kisses. Ashlyn is still 100% certain that the baby is a girl. She told Brian that she will be "really mad at Mommy" if the baby is a boy. Trent adores his two baby cousins which has greatly eased my concerns about how he will adjust to the new baby. This baby is a mover, which may be the saving grace of this pregnancy. There is nothing that can compare to feeling those fetal movements. What a miracle.

Today Ashlyn said she thought I was a monster. Trent said he thought I was a witch. I'm not thrilled with either assumption.

And that is enough rambling for one day.

One-Liners

The latest and greatest quotes from Ashlyn Belle:

"Kisses make me dizzy"

"Yes your majesty" - said to me after I had repeatedly called for her and had finally resorted to yelling.

"You're choking my belly" - said while holding her up to the sink to wash her hands.

Ashlyn, said very enthusiastically: "Mom! I saw a real frog in my room!"
Me: "Oh my heck! You did?"
Ashlyn, said very casually: "Well...maybe I didn't."

"My decisions are always conditional"

Said at Christmastime -
Ashlyn: "Sometimes when everything seems hopeless, do you know what is right?"
Me: "What?"
Ashlyn: "I get to meet Santa's reindeer"

"I really, really, really love...Grandma" - said to Grandpa.

Ashlyn: "Do you know why I like to lie so much?"
Me: Huh. "Why's that?"
Ashlyn: "Because it is so fun!"

And then about a month later: "Uncle Marty and Jesus don't like lying"

Me: "What were you thinking?!" - said after she had just made a colossal mess.
Ashlyn: "Something really awesome!"

The Little Things

I don't know what I would do without my kiddos. They make me smile every day. With all the stress going on right now, they are especially key to my sanity.

While driving home from our "project" the other day, Ashlyn told me, "Mommy I love you this much (arms stretched out wide), and all my heart." Ditto.

I watched in amusement yesterday as Trent taunted Cooper for about ten minutes with a doggie treat. Cooper followed him around like...well, a puppy, as Trent in frustration repeatedly told Cooper, "You. need. to. say. PLEEEEASE!"

*Photo courtesy of Clique Photography, taken July '09

Slowly But Surely

We are making progress on our home remodel, although at times it feels as though we take one step forward and then two steps back. Okay, not really. Every project does get us closer to moving in, but there is still so much to be done and I thought for sure we would be living there by now. Oh well. What do we do? We have no choice but to keep forging ahead and ever so slowly continue to cross things off the "to-do" list.

The painting is pretty much complete. Just a little touch up here and there. It is amazing what a fresh coat of paint can do to a room and home. We said goodbye to the sky blue ceiling in the master bedroom, the ketchup and mustard in the family room, the out-of-place green wall in living room, and the dull, dirty white in every other nook and cranny. The ceilings, doors, trim, and closets are now all a bright white, Ashlyn's room is her promised "ice folly", the play room is a friendly "frosted lemon", and the rest of the house is a nice neutral "water chestnut", with the exception of an added "belgian sweet" in the master. I love the smell of fresh paint.

The kitchen and entry have been re-tiled and I am quite pleased with the results. Not so shabby for a couple of amateurs. The re-staining of the wood work is underway. And 90% of the new lights have been installed - just three more to go.

This project has taken its toll on us. Brian and I are both on edge a little (or a lot, depending on the moment). We are stressed and tired, so very tired. The record late-night so far is 3:00 am. The kids seem a bit confused and out of their element, being tossed from home to home, staying up way to late (no, they didn't stay up until 3:00 am), and not getting enough daddy time. We have to keep telling ourselves that it will all be worth it. I can't wait for the day that we will be cuddled up together on the couch on a Friday night with a movie and big bowl of popcorn. *SIGH*. Some day.

What If?

Every once in awhile I ask myself a "what if" question. I am sure most people do this, or do they? And it's not that I am wishing my life were different in any way, it just out of curiosity. What if my parents didn't move from West Valley to South Jordan? What if I had won, instead of sorely lost, in the student body election? What if I had moved away for my college years? What if I hadn't taken that one job? What if Brian and I hadn't waited for 5 years to have kids? You get the point. My life today is a result of many forks in the road. The path that I chose to follow or was lead to, has gotten me to this point. And my life is good. Sure I have ups and downs, good days and bad days, times of pure stress (like right now) and times of pure joy. But overall, I really can't complain. And then again, I can't help but wonder from time to time how my life would be different if I had taken a different path.

I have a reoccurring dream. It happens randomly. I have been unable to make a connection as to why I have it, when I have it. It probably happens 4-8 times per year. The people who are in it and the circumstances are always different, but the message I get from it is always the same: Life is NOT greener on the other side! In every dream, my life is different from my actual reality. I am never married to Brian, although sometimes he is lurking in the background. Sometimes I am married to some random person from my past, like an old peer or co-worker, and sometimes I am married to a complete stranger. And then sometimes I am not married at all. Sometimes I am living in Utah and sometimes I am living elsewhere, like New York. And here is the kicker, I am never happy. Ever. In my dream, I always feel as though something is missing. There is a void. I am not satisfied with life or with my marriage, and I long for things to be different. I should also mention that in my dream I know that my life is suppose to be different. That I had messed up and had not gone down the right path.

I had my dream again last night. I was married to a guy I went to high school with. Nice kid. We were in the process of moving out of the state. Something was not right. I wanted my "real life" back. So, this morning I woke up and was once again reminded that my life is good and just exactly the way it should be.