FOR REALS?!?!

First the mullet and THEN THIS?!?!?!

Are you kidding me?

The most wonderful/hardest time of the year

Yes, HAPPY 4th of July, or shall I say,

HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY WEEKEND!!!!!

I've lived away from home ever since Brooks and I got married. I've never spent a Christmas at home even....and I've actually been fine with that.

But the ONLY time I year I start to feel homesick is the 4th of July.

(and either these pregnancy hormones are getting to me, or just writing that sentence makes me cry)

Here's some background:

My dad owned a fireworks business.....you know, the BIG fireworks (Disneyland, Superbowl, Olympics fireworks) This was always the MOST exciting time of year for my family. We always had the BEST parties and BEST fireworks (because my dad had a permit and since he was the mayor no one could call and complain about the fireworks being too loud)

But not only that, but my family is FULL of patriots and history buffs.

This is how our 4th of July celebrations would normally go:

-July 3rd, that's when Logan ALWAYS did their fireworks show in the college stadium my dad put on. We always had the best seats and met our cousins there. It was a no brainer, you just would wear red, white or blue.

-But BEFORE that we would eat at the house and have a BIG OL' water sack fight (man, this is when I WISH my scanner wasn't broken, because I've got some GREAT pictures) where you would take brown lunch sacks, fill them with water and throw them at each other. Believe me, they can leave some stingers. Infact, this is how Brooks was "initiated" into my family and thankfully passed the test.

-then on July 4th morning we would be awakened at the CRACK OF DAWN to go out the flagpole and have a devotional. A historical speech would be read or stories of the forefathers of our nation. Then we would sing the national anthem while dad played (you've NEVER heard someone play it, until you've heard my dad), and then dad would light his cannon.

-Then pile in dad's old fashioned truck, with the cannon and go around town shooting it off. Sometimes dad would put his lighter piano in the back and have mom drive around while dad played patriotic music and my brothers shot off the cannon and I just waved like I was the princess in the parade.

-Then off to Village Inn for pie.

Like I said, my FAVORITE time of year.

I just LOVE the smell of sulfur (the firework smell) and it reminds me of how my dad smelled everyday coming home from work and how his fingernails always had gunpowder in them.

I understand this might be getting a little long, but my heart and mind are full at this time. I do, I love this country (infact the first thing I did after we flew in from Brazil when moving back to the US was kiss Miami's airport floor....yes, I loved the US THAT much!) To illustrate the level of patriotism I take an excerpt of an email from my dad. (with his permission, of course) Let me first explain how my family is picky on how the national anthem is to be sung. :) But I sent dad a link of some incredible 4-6 year olds singing it. Musically, it was incredible and spot on, but not with the national anthem. Here are his thoughts:

Thanks for sending this, but its another example of the messenger atempting to draw attention to themselves rather than to the message.

Their portamentos wavering around so many of the pitches - great in country music - is totally out of order in the NA by trivializing both the music and message. It's equivalent to honky-tonking music on the piano instead of playing it straight.

Their tempo is that of a funeral dirge, not the "vigorously, 100-108" beats per minute marked on the "official version."

The only true rendition is when the assembled crowd sings along to the recorded accompanyment of one of the military service bands, or a live local brass/woodwind band, playing the official version.

The original intent of Congress when they adopted "The Star Spangled Banner" as the official NA, was that when it was sung at large public gatherings, was to have each person in the crowd sing, not merely repeat, so they would better remember the message. Each person thus participating was also to symbolize their individual responsibility in insuring that they would implement the message, and that each individual was to participate in the government by voting.

When crowds stand back and let others, soloists or groups, give the message of freedom instead of participating themselves, to me this symbolizes what the Romans did during their decline and fall when they gave up their own participation in defending their country, and hired mercenaries to do the fighting for them.

Man, I just love my dad.

I guess you could say the blood passed down to me is red,

white and blue (what would that make it, light purple?)

I'm full of gratitude when I think of what people did, so I CAN celebrate this wonderful holiday, country and my freedom to worship.

So to all of you, Happy Independence Day!

and to my family at home,

TRUST me, I'll be thinking of you and shedding a few tears this weekend.

YUMM-Y!!!!

Okay, so I have to give my friend Leah a shout-out because she posts recipes on her blog and I JUST tried her pork chops last night and they have to be the absolute BEST pork chops I've ever had. Period. And I didn't even use the GRILL like it said, I just used our Foreman (for 8 minutes). My WHOLE family liked it and I WISHED there were leftovers. I liked it more then steak. So next time I see a cheap deal on pork chops (they ALWAYS seem to go on sale), this time I'll stock up.

Anyway, here's the link

http://thefabfiveandfood.blogspot.com/2010/06/cumin-grilled-pork-chops.html

My not-so-glamorous girls

I going to pretend that I DO NOT care that we have a family wedding coming up and that my girls might have a slightly different....um.....look for it.

Here's Aleeya, with her newly cut mullet, courtesy of Emerson.

So far I've tried a head band, pony tail, side bow and none have masked it yet.

And here's Iris with her banged up head with marks that, according to Bronson,

"looks like Hawaii".

As you see, by their smiles, both of them could CARE LESS

about this. Maybe I should take after their lead a little more.

The verdict.........

Just when the hormone levels around this house were ABOUT to take over from here on out we are THRILLED to announce:

I just can't WAIT to dig into all my blue bins again and snuggle a bundle of blue. Now the worst part......WAITING until HE arrives. Oh, I'm just so excited it might just kill me the next half of the pregnancy to wait.

(Yes, I was SHOCKED at the ultrasound, just as I said I would be if it was a boy, but shocked in a good way. Of course, Brooks said, "He knew all along". ;) )

We took the boys with us and they LOVED seeing the baby, his brain, his bladder, his HUGE feet and his....eh-hem, other parts. They were so excited that is was another boy.

Emerson said,

"YES, now the boys are STILL ganando" (winning)

Boy or Girl

On Monday I go in for the mid-pregnancy ultrasound, and while checking for healthy innerds we'll also be able (if the baby cooperates) to see the gender of the baby.

This baby I'm especially curious.

I remember when we found out we were pregnant this time and calmed down our excitement Brooks and I looked at each other and said, "I think we're ready for another bundle of blue around here".

It feels like soooooo long since we've had one and I miss it. I STILL call Emerson (with that SWEET face) my "baby boy" and HE'S FOUR!!!!! (But according to the ladies at the gym he's 5 because he told them that so he could be old enough to play video games).

On the other hand, my mother had 3 boys, and then 3 girls, then a boy. In that order. SO FAR, I've followed in her EXACT order. So I'm CONVINCED it's a girl. Not only that, but I WAS THE THIRD GIRL!!!!!!

So part of me is thinking, "THIS IS ME!" in my belly!

To be honest, I would be SHOCKED and stunned if it wasn't a girl. I just think I've convinced myself I'm going to follow my mom's pattern.

Of course, Brooks (as always) would be shocked if it WASN'T a boy!

Like I said, it will be a fun ultrasound to see what's coming next to our family. I just can't contain my excitement to see that little thing again though!!! AHHHHH!

On a more typical Smith-blog note, here's Camden's latest catch (from when Brooks took him golfing)

I think it goes w/o saying that Camden is pretty darn fast.

Cereal!

I absolutely LOVE cereal, pregnant or not......but ESPECIALLY when I'm pregnant. My newest fav is Grape Nuts with blueberries, but I could seriously eat a bowl of cereal for ANY meal.

Speaking of........

Does anyone want to come over and have a bowl of cereal??

tee hee

Kids will be Kids

My first week back home has been full of just chilin' with the kiddos, breaking them of Grandma's spoils, swimming, and shaking my head and laughing at the things they come up with.

For example, check out Emerson. HOW can this picture not bring a smile to your face.?!?!

We've had a lot of sprinkler action, almost daily and they had fun one day especially when friends played in it too.

Iris LOOOOOVED getting wet by the sprinkler......Aleeya, not so much. But the best part of this picture is Bronson in the background getting his head SOAKED in the sprinkler.

And yes, we've added another pet, Scratchy.

We found him crossing the road with his shell FULL of pond water. So before Bronson could grab him and bring him in the van I made him pour at the water. Who knew turtles shells could hold so much water?

Oh, and don't worry, I told them if he was a snapping turtle we couldn't take it home. :)

He was SUPER fast too. Go figure.

And don't you think it appropriate that the boys caught 3 Craw-DADS on Father's Day?

I think so.

Hope everyone else is enjoying their summer!!!!!!

The Night Life

On Thursday night we met up with Brooks' mission companion, Jason and his wife, Tiffany.

It was funny that we planned this trip because before this trip I had only met Tiffany once and that was 9 years ago. But from all the mission stories of Jason (that Brooks told me) you would KNOW someone like that wouldn't marry someone lame.

And Tiff did NOT disappoint. We had a blast.

Before we met up though Brooks and I went to go eat at the BEST place.

It's this little diner that the waiters and waitresses sang Broadway stuff the WHOLE time in hopes that they might get discovered. I guess within the past 6 months, 5 workers actually WERE discovered and made it to Broadway. The talent was AWESOME if you're into the whole $20 for a hamburger thing.

One of the requirements of going to NY for me was Brooks had to take me to Wicked.

Everywhere said it was sold out, but local New Yorkers ASSURED Brooks we could get some at least in the cancellations line the day of. So I put my hesitant trust in their assurances.

Jason and I put our names in the Wicked Lottery to win 2 tickets each for the $25 dollars a ticket. They are for front row seats and there are only 28 available. There ended up being 300+ people there that put their names in the lottery. Well, guess what?!?!

Yep, I TOTALLY WON THEM! I screamed like I was on Price Is Right and wore my "I won the Wicked Lottery" pin all night!!!!!

Here we are on the SECOND row!!!!

It was incredible!!! It was awesome to see their faces so close. I had never seen Wicked before and I was blown away. My only complaint would've been seeing the skin-tight monkey costumes up close. I could've done w/o that.

The next night the boys wanted to go see a Yankee Game in their new stadium and they actually obeyed my orders that they HAD to take at least ONE picture.

Tiff and I went here. (and yes, there were a LOT of people standing there watching me take this picture. I'm a geek)

It was AWESOME! Of course we were farther back but the special effects, voices and costumes were amazing! I mean WHERE else could you see people fly and tap dance on the ceiling except in Mary Poppins??!?!

The shows were DEFINITELY my favorite part of New York City. Hands down!

The MAIN event

The reason we chose NY for our trip was so Brooks and I could visit Palmyra, NY where Joseph Smith Jr. (first prophet of this dispensation) lived for a while.

Here is Hill Cumorah and the monument of Moroni in the back is on the NW side of the hill which is the vicinity where the plates were buried.

And yes, I WAS winded (more like beyond winded) by the time we got to the top.

We stayed at a Bed and Breakfast while we were there......which has a story in itself, but I'll spare the details of the place.

Here is the reconstruction of the Joseph Smith log cabin home he would've lived in in 1820. You can see the white frame house that they moved into later in the back left. Now THAT house is 80+% original.

We also walked through the Sacred Grove in the pouring rain with our umbrellas. But hey, at least we pretty much had the grove to ourselves. Truly incredible.

This place was probably the most fascinating to the both of us.

The hour long tour was SOOOO cool! They showed how things were printed back then. We couldn't help but think how Heavenly Father prepares us and uses everyone when He needs for His purposes whether we're aware of it or not! :)

You can barely see the Palmyra temple back between the trees behind me.

The stained glass in that building was so unique and we were THRILLED to do 2 sessions together. And I mean going through the SAME one at the SAME time without having to swap watching the kids. I think it's been over 7 years since we've been together in a session.