Weekend with Bodie and highlights of Jade!

JADE...
my wonderful, amazing son!  

First off,

 I can't believe that he turned 19 this year!

It seems like just yesterday 
when I was swinging with him on this swing!  

Highlights from his birthday celebration... 
May 12, 2013

SUSHI...

I've loved all of the sweet moments that I've got to enjoy with Jade this past year...

 Watching him run one last time 
as part of the cross country team!

 Being there when he was awarded a medal for his great participation on the cross country team!

 Feeling SO grateful that Jade has a wonderful team of people that care about him and want him to succeed!  Our yearly IEP meeting. I love the caring and joy that this photo represents

 Jade had a cooking class and I was honored that he wanted me to be the guest speaker at it!
We had SO much fun and showed his class how to make Pumpkin Cookies with Cream Cheese frosting.. Afterwards, Jade said to me:
"Mom, we should have a cooking show together and call it the 
"Cooking with Kimmie and Jade" show"! 

I feel SO lucky to have a son 
that is thrilled and proud of his mom, 
even when he's a Senior in High School! 
It's something that I never take for granted!!

 He is my right hand man helping me out 
when Tracy is out of town.
Tracy went on a business trip this past January and we had the biggest snow storm EVER!
He shoveled and shoveled and made my job easier to get our driveway all cleared out!

He wanted me to come and watch him 

give his speech for his government class.  

He looked so handsome and innocent I couldn't resist snapping a photo of my sweet guy!

 I can't believe that I am old enough 
to have a boy this age!

I was one happy mama to come home from work on September 3rd to this happy boy after his 10 day long trip to Tennessee!  

SO, now to the title of this post:
"Weekend with Bodie"!

YES, you will see in the above photos that Jade is standing with his grandparents, wearing a graduation gown and holding a diploma cover. 

To explain that...

Since Jade is on an IEP (Individual Education Plan), it means that he is able to keep going to High School until he is 21.  The kids that do this are allowed one time to walk down the graduation aisle and he decided he wanted to do it with his actual graduating class.

SO, he will be going to High School until May 2015 and after he finishes he will receive a REAL diploma!

This year, he has been taking 

a Dating and Adult Relationships class 

and part of the assignment was bringing home a mechanical baby that he was in charge of all care

 from the afternoon of November 8th until the morning of November 11th.

Jade chose a cute little black baby boy for his project! 

His name was "Bodie"

 Ethan helped in the feeding times of Bodie as well.

WOW, was it ever an eye opener!
Up multiple times during the night, which meant NO sleep for the entire family!
Having to trouble solve on what the baby needed whether it was hungry, needed burped, needed rocked or needed it's diaper changed.
Needless to say, we didn't get much done this weekend at all!!

As I awoke Monday morning, 
the sun was shining brightly in the window 
as I sat and held "Bodie" and fed him, so Jade could get ready for school, I couldn't help but ponder and think how grateful I am for my sweet and amazing son! 

Life has been SO VERY HARD  and challenging for him, 
but he is such a positive kid with an amazing attitude and always has a smile and a laugh for all who come in contact with him!

I'm SO thrilled that I still get to be a part of his life and school projects and I'm going to be savoring these next 18 months to the fullest!


I love you Jade!
Love and Kisses,
 from Mom

Family... at the very top of my gratitude list!

"The love of a family 

is life's greatest blessing!"  

November...

A month where we take time to reflect on all of 

the blessings and wonderful things we have in our lives!  

As I start out my month of gratitude I can't help but reflect on the greatest blessing of all in my life; that of my amazing, awesome, crazy and FUN family and home life!

Tracy and I just got done celebrating birthdays a week ago.

10-20-13... Kimmie turned 43

10-22-13... Tracy turned 45

My mother-in-law must have been inspired to give me this card,

 because that is exactly what I told my family I wanted. 

All I wanted for my birthday was to go for a drive to see the fall colors, enjoy the sunshine with my favorite people and take a photo of us along the river... and that is exactly what I got!
SO, we loaded up in the car and drove to Parker, Idaho to see the beauty.

October 20, 2013

Me and my three favorite guys in a beautiful spot!  

My only other request was that I wanted to go on a ride on our motorcycle with my HOT and awesome hubby!  

Tracy's birthday had some FUN surprises! 

 Only the best for my birthday hubby 

and no birthday would be complete without

 German Chocolate Cake... 

a tradition that Tracy has had since he was just a wee boy!

"Happy Birthday Dear Tracy, Dad...

Happy Birthday to you"!!

Such a priceless sweet card from my Ethan...

After enjoying Cake and Ice Cream 

I went and changed into a cute black dress 

and took Tracy into the living room where there were 45 candles lit on top of our piano and I played 

 Prelude in E Minor by Chopin for him!  

He was amazed and shocked 

as he had no idea he was getting this kind of a surprise.

I think my kids were just as excited as Tracy was, as they knew about this special night I had planned  for Tracy for the past month and I'm just grateful that we were able to pull it off!

(read about his reactions here)

 (this was Ethan's favorite photo that Tracy took)

I sat and played it probably 6 or 7 times 

while Tracy relaxed on the couch. 

It was a heavenly and wonderful moment in time!

I found this sweet note from Ethan on my pillow 

when we went to bed that night! 

I learned something new today...

That I have a "BOMBASTIC" personality!  

It just made me melt!

I love my family so much!

I especially LOVE this handsome and amazing man, 

more than words can express and not only do I love that I am married to him, 

I love that we get to enjoy our birthday celebrations together each year!

I'm definitely the richest most blessed woman in the world 

and it's not because I have a big house, fancy cars, jewels or gold, but because I have this amazing man by my side every step of the way, who shows me love daily, is always doing thoughtful acts of kindness and brings love, laughter, joy, happy memories and smiles to each and every day!

So Lucky and SO much in Love!

24 years ago, the stars aligned and a cute girl from Honeyville Utah, and a stylish dressed, curly haired boy wearing trendy glasses from Rigby, Idaho ended up together in a religion class at Ricks College!
It sounds corny to say, but it really was LOVE at first sight!
As the semester continued on, we longed to see each other every class period, there was a connection... an attraction and eventually the stars aligned again when Kimberly needed a date for work Christmas Party and she got brave enough to ask this handsome guy to accompany her.
 It was history from there!  

I feel SO lucky that after 23 and half a years of marriage our love is so deep and strong!
The LOVE that was abundant on our birthdays that we just recently celebrated was tender and sweet and REAL!  I just feel SO very grateful and lucky that I get to experience such love and happiness and it is something that I NEVER, EVER take for granted!

Here are the sweet tender thoughts of both Tracy and I this year for our birthdays!
Truly priceless treasures to both of us!  

October 22, 2013
Wow… I rarely get teary-eyed but my sweet, Kimberly just gave me the most thoughtful (and surprising) gift I’ve ever received and my cheeks are wet. For the past year or so, Kimberly has been taking piano lessons in an effort to rebuild and hone a talent she hasn't used for decades. A couple years ago, after watching the movie, “The Notebook” together one evening, I suggested that I’d really love to hear her play “Prelude in E Minor (Op. 28 No. 4)”. Of course at that time, she hadn't played in years. Our piano had been sitting fallow. I had long-since forgotten I made the comment but she hadn't… 
It would be a challenge for her 
but she decided several months ago that she would learn it and play it for my birthday. According to my sons, she has been practicing every day for the past several months and keeping it a secret. Tonight after I blew out the candles on the homemade German Chocolate Cake (with homemade ice cream) and we all had stuffed our faces, she disappeared into the bedroom and returned wearing her prettiest black dress. She had carefully arranged 45 tea light candles on the piano and she proceeded to play the beautiful music with such feeling. I don’t mean to get all mushy but it really meant a lot.
 I don’t know how I got so lucky but I am the richest man alive. I truly am! 

Tracy...
WOW! Can I just say that I 100 times LOVE this post!!! I am so touched and feeling overwhelmed with love and joy right now and I as well have wet eyes! 
I love our simple life that is RICH in all of the things that truly bring joy and happiness, that is abundant in many daily thoughtful acts of love and kindness! 
Mr. Smith thanks for being the greatest example of what it means to be thoughtful! I'm SO glad I could do something for YOU that was as meaningful as all of the daily acts of love that you abundantly give to me! I had SO much fun working on my special "surprise", it was an honor to play this for you (it was better than performing in front of a whole concert hall of people), and I hope you love this song, because this song will be echoing through our house for probably the rest of our lives, I love it so much! I'm looking forward to learning how to play more of your favorite songs like Michael Nyman's "The Promise" and "Clair de Lune", and many, many more! 
Thanks for appreciating the little moments in life and here's to many more decades of birthday celebrations, adventures, love and GROWING OLD together!! I love my marriage to you... it truly is my greatest treasure and means more to me than anything, or anyone else in this entire world!

October 23, 2013
I had a beautiful day yesterday. I tried to fly my birthday "under the radar" by hiding it in facebook but it didn't really work. I'm not a huge fan of making a big fuss about birthdays. At any rate, I am so lucky to be surrounded by so many good people that I look up to and learn from and feel support and love from. Thanks to all of you who sent birthday love!!! And, at the top of my list, thanks to my sweet Kimberly who is my everything! I love how diverse she is... if any of you could have seen the wild spectacle she was at the Depeche Mode concert earlier this month, you would have smiled! At the concert, she was going absolutely NUTS (in a good way)... so much fun! I love her excitement and zest for life! Our trip to California and up the PCH was one of the funnest (if not THE funnest) trips we've ever taken! 
I could be with her 24/7 and never tire of her company! 
Last night after I got home from work, she wanted to go for a ride on the motorcycle. It was a beautiful, crisp, fall, evening and we enjoyed leaning into the corners down along the river bottoms south of our house (with helmets on of course!). Later in the evening, I enjoyed the most mouth-watering delicious meal of baked salmon and baked squash followed by her famously amazing German Chocolate Cake. Even later she played the most hauntingly beautiful rendition of Prelude in E Minor, dressed and looking as beautiful as the music she was playing! Such a range of talent and true beauty! 
She is a renaissance woman! 
I love that we get to enjoy and celebrate our birthdays together (since they are two days apart). We have enjoyed this privilege for nearly a quarter of a century! I look forward to many more! 
Life is good!  

My Dearest Tracy,
I feel so overwhelmed with love right now 
and you have brought me to tears yet again! (in a good way!) I still can't wipe the smile off my face as I think of our California trip and our concert. I'm glad you are okay with my over exuberant zest for life, because sometimes I know I drive you crazy! From the age of a young girl, I always dreamed of being married to a man who truly adored and loved me... the kind of a husband that would be so excited to see me after a long day of work and me him! Someone who would love and adore me despite my faults, someone who would make me smile and laugh every day of my life! I have that dream and SO much more with my wonderful marriage to you Tracy Smith! You spoil me every single day!! You leave me love notes, you are always doing some thoughtful thing, even if it's just pulling me aside as I'm cooking me dinner and giving me the biggest hug and passionate kiss (that sometimes leaves our boys saying "Get a room", LOL! ! 
You're the most amazing handy man that I know that can fix anything from car, bicycle and motorcycle repairs, to ANY home repair, to fixing lawn mowers, to designing and building shelves in your garage workshop, to making homemade wallets and belts out of leather, to helping sons with pinewood derby cars and scout projects and homework, and this list could go on for pages! You do all of the little things that make life SO big and I never take any of them for granted! 
Thanks for making me smile AND laugh, every single day!!! 
My marriage to you is my greatest possession and treasure and I hope to always be deserving of such a man! Thanks for the most PERFECT three-day birthday celebration that I have had thus far in my life!!

It's sad to think that we've hit the half way mark of life and that if we stay healthy and strong that we probably only have another 45-50 years. I want to make sure that we make each moment, of each day COUNT and that we are doing our best to soak the most out of life together!

Hugs and Kisses,
 I'll love you forever Mr. Smith!

It's my most favorite month of the year!

October

Oh how I love you!
I love the cool weather and that it's the start of wearing my knee socks and boots!
I LOVE the colorful leaves!
 I love Pumpkin EVERYTHING!
I love making FUN and spooky meals.

I love all of my Halloween decor.
I love all of my adorable SPIDERS that are scattered all around my house!
I love carving pumpkins!
I love watching Scary Movies!
I LOVE DRESSING UP!
I love all of the fun traditions that are abundant this time of the year!

Here are highlights
 from LAST years month of October 2012.
(since I didn't get it blogged about LAST year).

I LOVE my holiday tree 
with photos from past Halloweens! 

Colorful chips and Hot Bean Dip!

Coolest pumpkin EVER!
Awesome job Tracy and Ethan!  

Pumpkin Cookies
Finger Breadsticks
 Meal in a Squash
a few of the holiday treats we made up this month! 

My mother-in-law has such fun and unique holiday decor this time of the year!


Mr and Mrs. Smith celebrated 
birthdays on the 20th and 22nd! 
I LOVE that our birthdays are only two days apart 
and that we're just two years apart in age. 

Kimmie turned 42 and Tracy turned 44.

(Adorable cupcake compliments 
of my cute Beehive girl Ellie Taylor)

Happy Birthday Tracy dinner!
Heart-shaped Salmon Salad, 
fresh grape juice and pumpkin cookie!

Our costumes that we wore to the 
ANNUAL BYU-I Halloween Concert! 
(we've been attending this annual event for over 20 years)

(we invited Karissa to come along and enjoy the night with us)

LOVE my boys and love even more that they humor me in dressing up in costumes two times during the month of October!

Clever pumpkin carvings
 from Young Women Girls!  

Halloween morning breakfast!

PE teacher (aka Bat Girl)

This was the day after Halloween. 

I teach PE on Wednesdays and Thursdays... 

Halloween fell on a Wednesday this year and so I did my Halloween tag games with my Thursday class on November 1st. YES, we got SNOW!!!!

My awesome boys!

Jade did such an amazing job 
on his Zombie make-up!

We live right near a cemetery 
and so I took my boys there 
and we took some cool photos. 
It was AWESOME!

Coming out of the casket

LOVE these guys!

Scary, Scary!!
This was the sight in my rear view mirror 
when we went to the annual Chili and Donut party 
at our friends the Francises!

Happy Fall 2013! 
Looking forward to all of the FUN and beauty 
of this years October!