The Work has begun!

This will be our pantry/coat room. Before.....
The wall has started...

The fireplace when it was down low...

Grandpa Ron came over and re-keyed all of the doors in our home. It is nice to know a locksmith!

Our dear friends, Jim & Janeen Bertolina were in town and got to see our new home....before construction!

It was so good to spend time with them.

We are homeowners!!!

It is official....we are the proud owners of a brand new home in Alpine, Utah. I am still in shock and can't believe this odyssey that we started way back in August of 2006 is finally over. I remember Rick telling me that he decided to take the job with Flow in Washington that evening in the summer. I remember having a very distinct feeling come over me and the thought was..... this is going to be a very long ordeal.

Funny how the spirit works! I have learned a lot from this whole experience. Our family has gone through many challenges and trials but we have learned and grown from them and have been sustained not only from our Father in Heaven but from all of those angels here on earth .... our dear friends & family. That is you, who may be reading this. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. You have loved us, listened to us, fed us, sheltered us, prayed for us and thanks to my daughter Kelsey, even clothed me!!! The Lord's time is the right time and I am a believer in this thought. We learn from our trials and hopefully become stronger people through them. I know that He watches over each of us and has His hand in all of our lives.

I will try to update the blog frequently so that you can see the progress we are making on the house. The room to the left is torn up right now. It will have bookshelves put into this space and behind it will be the most awesome pantry! We got possesion of the house last night and Rick got right in there, as only a Smith can, and tore up the carpet to start building our first project! The painter comes this morning & my father in law, Ron comes to re-key the house. It has been empty for two years and who knows how many keys are out there! At least we will know that we are the only one's who will be able to get in, at least with a key!!!

Blessing day for Reese Catherine

Here is our little beauty, Reese. Jamie made the bracelet & I made the dress.

The Hilton family...they will head out to Glendale, Arizona to attend Med School at Midwestern.

The Smith family minus, Cara. So nice to get together for this special occasion.

Kylie and Reese with all of their Mom's! Great Grandma "Normal", Nana, Jamie, Grandma Lalove & Great Grandma Hilton.

Reese with all of the Grandpa's plus her Daddy who gave her a name & blessing in Rexburg.

Back in Utah

Here is baby Reese! She will be getting blessed this weekend by her Daddy. What a treat to come home and to find Jamie & the girls at the house while Conrad is interviewing in Arizona for Med School.

Kylie did a little model show for us when I got home. She wore the Olympic bell that I brought home, along with a hat that I had knitted.

Our beautiful daughter, Kelsey modeling the head band I knitted & crocheted for her! Does she look great or what?!!!

Additional pic's of my Super-duper Fun weekend!

Cathy, Emily & Nicole right before the vows! Emily was a gorgeous bride.

Cathy & Margaret at The Windmill in Sumner. What a knock out mother of the bride!!!

Here are Maria & Annie after I helped decorate in Puyallup for Emily's wedding. Mt. Rainier is in the background~what a weekend...not only for the wedding but for the Olympics!!!

Helping with the decorating for Em's wedding. The venue was really a great place...Pioneer Park Pavillion.

Got to have a shot of the surprise for Maggie! Love the wigs!! What a friends for??

My Super Duper fun weekend!!!

On Wednesday of last week I was telling Rick how I wished I could go up to the "claw" to surprise one of my bff's, Maggie, for her daughter's wedding. Maggie & Nicole had surprised our family in June by coming down and crashing Cara's graduation party... in wigs!!! It was a hoot & a memory that will last forever with our family. Rick got on line that night and found some FFM (frequent flier miles:) and got me on a plane for the next day. Nicole picked me up and that night and we drove over to Maggie's home and gave her a shocker-roo! Wigs & all!!!


She was busy with Emily the next day and since there was the Olympics going on just a mere two and a half hours away.... those of you who know me well.... know that I can not let an experience pass me buy if it is that close to experience! Thankfully, Nicole is the same way! So, off we went with Nicole's sister, Sarah and we grabbed our passports and went up North!
On the train with people from around the world! We dropped Sarah's car off at the park & ride and rode into town!

The Olympic flame with the water & mountains in the back was just plain, gorgeous!

Connor receives his Life in scouting!

My thirteen year old nephew is month's away from receiving his Eagle Scout award. Last week he received his Life which was awesome for me to see! Way to go Connor...

Connor receiving his Life award and more merit badges. All he has to do is his Eagle project and then he'll be off to the Jamboree!! Connor and his mom, Kathleen at pack meeting.

Celebrating Connor's birthday!

Connor turned thirteen while they were in Hawaii, right after Christmas & during his birthday! I promised him a birthday cake so the family came over so we could blow out some candles! Here is Connor, Colson & Ella. I love them to pieces!

My Mom meets her great-grandson Cannon while Brandon is loving on Cannon, too!

The Kleinman kids eating their pink fruit snacks....inside joke!

Connor and his thirteen candles with Colson & Craig (my brother & their Dad) looking on.

Alpine....

Here is the front of the house we are attempting to purchase! We will be with the inspector tomorrow, Saturday and I will take more pictures of the inside and post!

Back in Utah

Still working on the picture thing... at least I"m thinking about it! because I do have new pic's to put up. Kels and I just arrived back in Utah last night from our time helping my parents in SAn DieGo. Kels was there for a month and I had my mom in Utah for a week looking for homes for them and then we flew back to Cali to help with Dad. Dad could use anyone's faith and prayers as he is dealing with leukemia. He goes to his oncologist today and I wish I could be there to ask questions on the plan to get Dad healthy again. He was suppose to see Dr. Mason on Tuesday but his blood and platelett (sp?) counts were too low so they did a double platelett transfusion along with a blood transfusion to help things! Thanks to all of you who give blood as I have seen first hand what a blessing blood can be to families with loved ones who desperately need it.

The reason I am back is that.....drum roll please...... we have an accepted offer on a house in Alpine, Utah! I don't want to get too excited on the off chance that things might fall through for whatever reason. This is definitely the closest we have gotten in the last six months in getting a home! Kels and I drove up to Alpine, which is nine miles away from the home we are staying in right now and as I drove up I saw the SOLD sign on it! I am still in shock and really can't believe that this could really happen! To think that I could use my own sheets, clothes, dishes, see our family pictures, sit on my own furniture again is a dream I have had for several months. For those of you who have known about this whole saga and have been so supportive, just want you all to know that I so appreciate your love, support & prayers. I feel truly blessed and am so thankful for the ways the Lord has been so good to us. It has been an experience I will never forget and one that I have learned from . Life is not about "stuff"! "Stuff" is great to have but one can live without their "stuff". Other meanings for "stuff" would be belongings or possessions. Life is about family and friends and about the way we treat people. And about the way we strive to live as our Savior did while He was on this earth.
Another blessing that I'm so grateful for is that Cara has her health back! She received another blessing from some priesthood holders in her ward and I don't think she has had another headache since! Her tailbone still hurts but that is bearable. I'm so proud of her that she had the faith to ask for another blessing and so happy that she is feeling better. I was so sad about her not feeling well and worried but grateful for the lessons learned on faith and the healing power of that.
Cannon is crawling and he did this while we were in Cali so last night we drove right over to Kurt & Jen's to see the latest skills of our only grandson! Very impressive little man!!! Reese is growing and smiling all the time! Love that stage!!! Kylie told today that she was so excited for me and Bapa to get into our own home! She asked if we could for sure plant lots of pretty flowers and some carrots so she could eat them! She also said that she was so happy for me and could wait to have fun at our new home! Thanks Kylie for being happy for Nana and Bapa!
While we lived at the Butler's home in Enumclaw Rick planted a huge garden and he would take Kylie out to smell the flowers and to pick the vegetables! I love that we are building relationships & memories with our adorable grand darlings!!
Life is good!!!