Mom Moments

I was reading a talk by M. Russell Ballard and it talked about mothering moments. 

"...the joy of motherhood comes in moments. There will be hard times and frustrating times. But amid the challenges, there are shining moments of joy and satisfaction."

I think about that a lot. It's okay to not LOVE everything about being a parent. But the sweet moments interlaced in every day make it worth it. 

As un-reverent as this may appear and IS.......I took a picture during family prayer. I couldn't help myself. I want these pictures to last forever in my brain as one of those "moments".

Truth be told I can't remember which baby is with Royce and which is with Emerson. But it's just so tender to see these sweet 2 year olds praying.

There are ALSO "moments" that make us laugh and laugh and laugh. One was when our family was playing Telestrations for Game Night. You are given a phrase or word to draw and the next people have to guess what it is telephone-game-style.

Camden was given the phrase "Ducks in a Row". And DESPITE the rule that you aren't supposed to write words on your drawing, Camden's picture STILL keeps me laughing. He had no idea what the phrase meant so he drew it literally.😂

Smith Señoritas Scram 2018

I made a decision this year that since the (older) boys and Dad get their March Madness trip every year that in the fall, the (8 and older) girls and I will take a trip each fall. Once I presented that idea to Aleeya in the spring, having the boys leave for March Madness wasn't a big deal. #missionaccomplished

I decided to take a road trip with them to Kansas City. These girls love a good road trip with windows down.

I surprised them with a night at Great Wolf Lodge.

These girls are little fishes so they loved it. We also liked going down the slides together. The water temperature wasn't eeeeeeeeXACTLY in my cup-of-tea category of temperatures and but I should get MAJOR mom points for going down the slides as many times as I did in that cold water.

when I couldn't take the temperature anymore, I would sit on the side and take pictures of the "Mom-watch-this" moments.

I introduced the girls to Cold Stone and they were big fans.

ESPECIALLY because Cold Stone was by some outdoor escalators. My kids are obsessed with escalators. They played probably close to a hour on them. 

It's too bad we 1)didn't bring our own photographer or 2) didn't have the nerve to ask someone to take pictures while we jumped off furniture..... because a pictures with all 3 of us would've been awesome. haha. 

I love this one.

The trick is having the photographer close to the ground so it APPEARS that we have some major ups..... which I don't.

Another night we stayed in a different hotel and made some necklaces and ziploc/duct tape bags. These bags are my extent of "craftiness". Since it's not something I usually do, the girls were thrilled.

These two are SO SO SOOOOOO different but I love trips and moments like these.

I think our first Smith Señoritas Scram was a success!

Fall Sports

Fall activities are in FULL swing. With Emerson beginning Cross Country this year, it started with a big fundraiser Color Run. It looks to me like Emerson had a good time.

Aleeya and Iris started their fall soccer games too. I love watching my little speed demons play.

Leeeeeeeeets just say Iris wasn't too pleased to have her picture taken after her game.

Aleeya doesn't mind though. She gets her lovely red face from me.

Someone captured this picture of Aleeya and the soccer league used it for their cover picture. Kind of cool

One Saturday I was traveling to Aleeya's soccer game a hour away. I took these three with me. I looked back during the drive and saw this. haha. (Wynn on right)

 Taking twins to a soccer game in and of itself is a suicide mission. But on the hottest day in EVERdom, it was especially a bad idea. They were so sleepy which meant my BACK ended up being pretty sweaty from being the bed. a friend captured this moment without me knowing it, and I love it.

Bronson had a real good golf season on the high school team. We played at some gorgeous courses too. I snuck this picture of him while he was playing.

 Again, another creeper-mom shot, but it's actually my favorite. Arkansas is gorgeous. I love it here.

 A mom of a player from ANOTHER team actually took a bunch of pictures for me...even though Brooks was actually THERE. Leave it to another mom to "get it". 

THAT'S the smile of someone who just got a birdie. Even as he's walking away the smile still remains.

High five from a different school's coach. You don't see THAT in too many other sports.😀

 As I said, Brooks was there, and actually picked up Royce from school to go watch.

 Usually Brooks hangs back.....but eeeeeeevery once and a while he will have a few things to say. Love this shot.

Newspaper clipping from the OTHER school's newspaper.

Bronson was also the only kid from his high school that made it to State. Being a sophomore that's pretty cool. He was mostly thrilled that he was going to have his own hotel room (with the coach in another).....but Brooks did drive up so Bronson had to ultimately share it with his Dad. 😂

As I mentioned before Emerson did Cross Country. 

 WITHOUT FAIL, his jersey was ALWAYS off his shoulder. #sexyrunner

 I was standing next a mom one time and she asked which one was mine. I told her the runner with his jersey off his shoulder. When Emerson passed by she said, "Oh, THERE he is."

 I actually was super impressed with Emerson and all the practicing and work he put into the season. Running is NOT my thing and with Emerson staying after school for extra workouts, I was just so proud of him.

(It will be so sad when next season he has a jersey that might actually fit him and I won't get to see him running like this)

SCHOOL BEGINS!

I would be LYING if I said I didn't look forward to the start of school year. But even MY excitement wasn't to the level of Kellyn's as she came to her first Back-to-school night.

Here is the annual IHOP Breakfast-before-the-First-Day-of-School outing.....which turned out to be on the SECOND day of school because Brooks was working.

Here are actual "First Day" pictures though.

Emerson the 7th grader

Kellyn the Excited kindergartener

Royce the Guapo 2nd grader

Aleeya the solo 5th grader. "Solo" meaning, she is in a school that only has 5th graders in it. She was SO excited for the first time in her life to be the only one of our kids in that school BY HERSELF.😁

Iris the Big 4th grader and kind ruler over the elementary school.

Camden the occasionally uncooperative 8th grader

(He wouldn't smile.......then I got him to.)

Bronson the 10th grader. He ALSO wouldn't smile to begin with so we got him laughing.

I now have seven kids in school during the day.

Kellyn has been waiting her "WHOLE LIFE" to ride the bus and just is BEYOND excited.

And I wait EVERY year to dance by the bus as it pulls away the first day of school.

Kellyn's first day of school was a success! It helps that her teacher is one of my closest friends too. We got them matching shirts!

And HUGE SHOCKER (not)....but Bronson forgot his lunch...... ON THE FIRST DAY!

So we packed it up in a Walmart back and attached a Barbie to it doing the "dab"

Turns out the ladies in the front office at the high school have ZERO sense of humor and said we couldn't bring toys into the school. So Bronson got a ripped up Walmart bag of lunch. Lame.

And speaking of Bronson, he had to turn in his physical for this school year's sports teams. He always just hands it to Brooks and then turns it in without reading it. The funny thing is, Brooks ALWAYS includes a little surprise.

"yell squad"?!?!?! That's not even a THING! 😂😂