Sidewalk Paint



Lately the art projects in our homeschool program have been kind of lame, so I have been supplementing with our own projects.  We made homemade playdough and playdough cookie dough, fun!  I also came across this post in Pinterest for sidewalk puffy paint.  I tweaked it a bit, we did 1 cup flour, 1 cup salt, 1 1/2 cups water, mix it up and split it between 4  eight ounce squirt style bottles (each bottle should be about 1/2 full), then put in enough tempura paint to fill about 3/4 of the bottle.  Then shake.  The kids thought the paint was too thick, so we added some more water.  This paint should be washable, so when the next rain comes,(there is some on the forecast for this weekend!  YAY for rain!) it should wash away. 

One of the many differences between my children is the way they approach art....



Her idea of art is to draw a picture :-)





 His idea of art is to twirl and squeeze the bottle









and of course this...sorry guys, but boys will be boys!















Softball Opening Ceremonies

I haven't blogged since October?!?  How did that happen?!? 

Our life here has become consumed with baseball and softball.  We practice in someway 6 days a week, and we love it!  This a sport the whole family loves, and what else would we be doing with our time?  Sitting around asking each other "what should be do?" 

Last night was Softball Opening Ceremonies.  Sorry North Yuba Little League, but this was the most amazing opening ceremony!  Despite being told to be their 1 1/2 hours early and the cheesy banner parade, it was awesome!  The national anthem was sung by a 14 u girl that Audrey said "could sing the anthem for the Angels", and an inspirational speaker from the USA Gold Medal Winning softball team, Leah Amico!  Did I mention she is totally into ministry?!?  Her light is definetly shining!

We have high hopes for this season!  The theme of the season "there are so many things you can control, but you can ALWAYS control your attitude and your effort!".  Let's go Strikers!

Little Hunter Rio

October 4th, 2004....4:30 AM....I'm up with a bellyache, I think I have the flu....ugh!  After an hour of contant trips to the toilet, there is blood and it dawns on me....this is it! 

I call grandma, and tell her its time.  By the time she gets there, contractions are on top of each other, and grandma does her hair.  I have to stop getting Audrey dressed between every article of clothing to get through a contraction, grandma senses my urgency and off we go.  We make a quick stop to pick up the other grandma and make the long trip to Yuba City....did I ever quit screaming? 

In the elevator I feel the urge to push, UH OH!  I get into the room, manage somehow to change into a gown, lay down in the bed and within 20 minutes, just as Wes shows up, the doctor walks through the door and says push, after just one, there he was!  After only 3 hours of labor (preceded by 3 days of "false labor")....we had Hunter Ryan Smith 7 lbs 3 oz.  Grandma Blah Blah had taken Audrey to the car to grab something while I got checked in and when they were coming up the elevator Audrey said "I hear my baby brudder" and grandma said, "oh no not yet", and I'll be darned, it was her "baby brudder".

Hunter was a great baby, always mellow and sleeping!  I was so worried when he was not quite 3 weeks and he was sleeping 12 hours at night!  It didn't take long to exchange those worries for appreciation to have such a great sleeper. 

He loves baseball, he loves cars, he loves greenie and he loves his momma.  He's imaginative, content, and he talks to himself.  This little boy makes my heart smile!

Life is Hectic

 Thank goodness for Take Me to Disneyland Tuesday.  It is our one non rushed day, we go when school is done, and we have nothing to rush back for.  Disneyland Truly has become my Happy Place :-)



Embrace the Camera

Thursday is embrace the camera day, meant to get pictures of the mama's.....here is one that my dad took while they were here this past week....

Grandma comes to visit

So I am a little behind.  I haven't been myself lately.  I am blaming home sickness....whatever it may be, I haven't blogged in almost a month, haven't even updated Facebook....so I am gonna try to catch up now that I am starting to feel a little more like myself!

We went home to Brownsville for Audrey's birthday, and grandma drove home with us and spent a week.  We kind of laid low, but we did make it to the pier, and to a teeny tiny little aqaurium in Cabrillo..... here are some pics.

Thank you Mr. Stork

June 13th 2002.  Wes is working out of town, so I spend the night with my mom and dad.  I wake up in the mornning and go to do my business, there is pink water dripping down my leg.  At 8 o'clock I go to the doctor worried because I am not due for another 3 1/2 weeks.  Doctor checks, the whole water breaks, contraction #1 soon follows!  For the next 8 hours I think "this is all, what are these women whinning about".  Then the doctor decides I am not progessing enough and they give me pitocin.  I cannot withstand a contraction without screaming.  I yell at my mom and bite my husband.  At 7:23 PM.....after a few mighty pushes, the tiniest baby I have every seen emerges!

Audrey Paige Smith

5 lbs, 12 oz

This child has had a mind of her own from the start.  Bright as a new copper penny. She is so artistic, Audrey Smith originals is one of her favorite gifts to give.  She has always loved to sing, she could sing every word to Johnny Cash' Folsom Prison Blues at 3!  Now she writes her own (shh I only know that because I found the top secret notebook under the covers on sheet washing day!)  She's got a kind heart, a smart mouth, and a whole lotta sass!  Becoming a mommy the greatest gift of my life (tied with becoming a wife).  Despite the morning sickness, I was filled with wonder, joy and anticipation from the moment the stick showed me two lines.  The first time I held that teeny little girl in my arms, tears of joy streamed down my face and I couldn't believe the miracle of life!  Then I blinked, and now she is 9, turning in to a little woman, with a personality that shines!  How does this happen?  I wait in bittersweet anticipation to see what the next 9 years will bring....just as I could not imagine 9 years ago that my newborn would one day be 9, I cannot imagine 9 years from now my little girl being a grown up....I know she has a goal, to play softball as an Oregon State Duck, she wants to be a veteranian......go slow baby girl, mommy's wants to soak it all in and enjoy each moment before they pass by!