The Festival of Trees

The Festival of Trees

The girls danced at the Festival of Trees and did SO great!
I was so proud of each one of them.

Oliva, Emma and Ella

SAD NEWS....
I spent hours getting the kids ready and was so busy that I remembered the camera, but forgot the battery I had charging on my desk. :(
I took these pictures with my iPhone, and would LOVE pictures and videos of the girls on stage if anyone has any they can share with me!

Abby and Kate have been with Legacy Dance for 4 years and
Ella has been dancing 2 years! Way to go girls!
We love Miss Mo!
We had so much family come to support them....
From the Derrick side, Grammy, Papa J, Aunt Trish, Amanda, Ashley & Sophia
From the Smedley side, Grandpa, Grandma, Amy, Emily, John, Will Spencer!
Wow! Thank you everyone for coming!!!

Abby's Piano Recital

Abigail Jane

Pianist

Abby's Piano Recital
Centerville Library

Abby completed Kindermusik this past Spring,
and began taking piano lessons this Fall.

Tonight she had her first piano recital, and she did GREAT!

She played 3 pieces including:
Little Scherzo
Merrily We Roll Along
'Tis a Gift to be Simple

Abby and her piano teacher Kristen Spere
Way to go Abby!
Afterwards we went to Galaxy to celebrate!

Lights at Temple Square

This weekend we went to see the lights at Temple Square.

We especially loved the nativity sets this year!
I love that Kate wore her coat backwards.
I remember doing that as a kid.

Girls

Last week we had our Primary Program.
The girls did so great!
Here are their speaking parts.

Abby said, "When we are baptized, we covenant with Goad and are blessed to receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. The Holy Ghost comforts and guides us, if we live worthy of this great gift."

Kate said, "Bishop Taylor has asked us to do four things with our families."

Ella said, "Go to bed on time."

I love being in Primary with them.
There is no where I would rather be!

TWINS
I love it!!!

It's beginning To Look a lot like Christmas...

It's beginning To Look a lot like Christmas...

We have two family traditions on the Friday after Thanksgiving.
First, we love to set up our Christmas tree and decorate the house.
Second, we always frequent Target at least twice buying the right lights. :)

Lucy Grace 9 Months Old

Lucy Grace

9 Months Old
Eating snow for the first time!

Lucy LOVES her Daddy!

Dad & husband of the year for how many nights he has
slept on the couch holding this little baby!

Favorite Song: This Little Piggy
Favorite Book: Goodnight Gorilla
Nicknames: Lulu, Loosey Goosey, Lu, JJ (for James Jr since she looks so much like her Dad)
Personality: Lucy is our little light. She always has a smile on her face. She is a very happy baby. She is very easy going and very patient.
Games: Lucy loves peek a boo, Binky Race (I tease her as if I am going to put the Binky in my mouth)
Tricks: She can crawl (FAST!), she can crawl up and down stairs with me nearby. She takes her own Binky out of her mouth when it is time to nurse or to eat. She can wave bye bye. She loves to give five. She likes to pull herself up to a standing position. Lucy can dance!!! One of her favorite things is to crawl to her pink toy table, pull herself up and turn on the music and DANCE. She can really shake it!
Bedtime: She prefers to read books, sing and then for me to put her down. She reminds me a lot of Kate this way. She doesn't want to snuggle. She wants to be put in bed and to fall asleep on her own! She doesn't need me! ;(

Routine:
8:00 Wake up (milk) & play with sisters
9:00 Breakfast (pancakes or waffles & fruit) & morning bath
10:00-11:30 Nap
12:00 Lunch & play
2:00 -3:30 Nap
4:00 Milk and ride in the car while we take girls to their lessons
6:00 Dinner & nightime bath
7:30 Milk, books and & bedtime

We love you loosey caboosey!

Breaking Dawn

Girls Night Out
Breaking Dawn

Gratitude

GRATITUDE

This weekend my Mom and sisters and I went to Time Out For Women.
I knew it would be good...but it was AMAZING! It was just what I needed with so many great speakers. We heard from Brad Wilcox, Hilery Weeks, Michael Wilcox, Sherry Dew and others.
My favorite speaker had to be Stephanie Nielson. She is AMAZING!!!

Stephanie talked about her airplane crash in 2008 and her hard recovery.After the plane crashed it burned and she was trapped inside burning 80%of her body. She has 4 kids and is pregnant with her 5th. The greatest thing I learned from her was gratitude.Gratitude is healing her daily. She is so grateful to be able to make her kids lunches everyday, to be needed by her kids, to get to be a Mom.From her experiences I recognize how blessed

I am to have these people in my life!!!

It is an honor to drive them to their many activities! ;)

It is so much fun to see them learn and experience new things!

I love watching them love each other!

This week I am reminded of ALL the things I am so thankful for.

Most of all, I am grateful for the opportunity I have to be a mother.

11-11-11

Our flower girl

on 11-11-11

Our flower girl Abby & Ms Mo at
Amanda's wedding.

Abby had so much fun and looked so beautiful~!
While Abby was serving it up at the wedding...
we had a party of our own at home!

We had an 11 party!
We made pizza sticks shaped in the shape of 11,
apples, fruit leather, cheese and crackers, & carrots.
Happy 11-11-11
We played an 11 game.
I put 11 things on a tray and they had to write down
everything they could remember.
These 2 teases ate the food on the tray when I wasn't looking and
told me I miscounted!
Crazy girls!

Laguna Beach, California

MY PARADISE

Laguna Beach, California

My favorite part of our vacation was the resort where we stayed,
Montage Laguna Beach.
It was right on the most beautiful beach.
The kids kept teasing me because I couldn't get enough of its beauty.
"Really Mom, another beach walk?"
It was just so beautiful!!!
The contrast between the dark rocks , pink flowers and white waves
were SO incredibly breathtaking!!!

Love these girls.
Many people at the resort said you can spot whales,
even the largest blue whales in the ocean.
Although we did not see any of the blue whales
ourselves, we would be happy to go back and spend some more time looking! ;)

The Resort
Favorite place...favorite people!!!

Montage Laguna Beach

My favorite part of every "real" vacation is the resort!

The Montage Laguna Beach was amazing!
We overlooked the ocean and had amazing pools right outside our door!

The hotel laid out slippers and robes for all 6 of us each night.
The girls looked SO cute in their robes and slippers!